Has anyone ever reversed gum recession?

I've had a total of 3 cavities in my whole 35 years...and yet I have a lot of gum recession. Maybe from brushing too hard (which I stopped years ago) or flossing too deep (I just stopped that), but also largely because of all the orthodontia I went under as a child and teen (8 baby teeth removed, as well as two adult teeth, and braces and retainers for years). I've been oil pulling with coconut oil for a month now (I've done it multiple times in the past when my gums were sensitive)

My mouth does seem to be more prone to creating plaque and tartar (I just got my teeth cleaned last month, and there's already white build-up on my bottom front teeth). They got a lot worse when I went a year without a cleaning due to coronavirus closing down our dentist.

I even have nightmares about my gums receding even more. I'd really like to stop the recession, and it's worrisome to have this much recession when I should still have over half my life to go.

According to everything I can find on the internet, there's no way to regrow gum tissue. It'd be great to hear from someone who's done the impossible--but any tips from fellow permies on how to stop my gum recession (and the bone loss it's causing), would be very welcome!

(I tried to take pictures of my teeth. It's not easy, ha!)

YES.  It is possible, but not easy.

The answer is pretty much the same as any chronic disease.  No/little processed foods, get all your vitamins and trace minerals, healthy microbiome, good pH, etc.

There is a variety of horse tail that is very good to remineralize teeth.  Marjory Wildcraft has an article about it but I can't find it from my phone.  Clays have lots of minerals, too. Find a toothpaste powder heavy in several types of clays to get more minerals to your teeth and gums.  Powders are usually better than pastes because glycerin and the other preservatives bind up the minerals so they can't really be absorbed easily.

Once I cleaned up my diet and rebalanced my microbiome, I went from needed a cleaning sooner than six months to being able to go 2 years without one.  

I went to  new dentist for a cleaning.  She told me my gums were in serious trouble...I was in danger of losing my teeth....and she would not clean my teeth until the $2000.00 treatment had been done.  I walked. That was 20 years ago.  I still have all the teeth I had then.

Certainly take care of your teeth and gums.  Do check with a pro.  And dont fall for scams.

Healing the gums is different from remineralizing the teeth....though they are related and sugar and starch can be blamed for both.  When I was diagnosed with periodontal issues a few years ago, out went the sugar for the most part...mostly in my tea and coffee, and this was replaced with stevia (some of which I grow myself).  My partner the herbalist cooked up what we call "magic mouthwash"...a brew consisting of large handfuls each of rosemary, thyme, calendula, echinacea, white oak bark; plus some cinnamon, and a bit of cayenne, boiled up for a while and then diluted half and half with strong liquor like gin. With this I swish twice daily after brushing.  The last time I went to the periodontist the technician was so astonished at looking into my mouth that she had to ask me what I was doing to have so thoroughly stopped and even reversed the progression!

Alder, would your partner be able to share the recipe? I'd be interested in making some! It doesn't look like there'd be any negative side effects from swishing with that, and hopefully lots of advantages!

My periodontal pockets were 5 and 6 mm. I never have my gum bleed, though they are sensitive to cold and sweets, especially if I don't swish coconut oil.

My diet right now is almost 100% SCD. The only sweets I eat are from honey and fruit (and some dark chocolate and organic-sugar sweetened yogurt). I stopped eating all starches except for potatoes about 2 months ago when my psoriasis flared up (I'd been eating some gluten free starches before, largely out of convenience since I was making gluten-free baked goods for my kids).

I too have gum tissue loss.  It is because of bruxism (grinding my teeth at night due to anger/anxiety.) Over decades of this repeated action and jaw stress, like tidal waves in the ocean, my gums have separated in a couple small areas.

It is impossible for gum tissues to regrow.  It is impossible because they lack the stem cells necessary to differentiate into gum tissue. You can do whatever you want to gum tissue, it won't regrow.  It would be like asking concrete to turn into a concrete tree and grow new concrete.

There is a promising study that uses poly ε-caprolactone nanofibrous membranes to recruit stem cells from nearby areas and funnel them to the site you want to regrow tissue.  That came out last year so I'd predict it is 7 years away from practical application.

Stannous fluoride can be used to create a barrier over the exposed, unprotected tooth surface.  You can find that in toothpastes like Sensodyne, which I use.  It very clearly works. If I stop using it, I get pain and sensitivity in the damaged areas.  There is also a noticeable physical difference.  

There is a new filling type that adheres to the exposed tooth surface with bonded resin.  It is bright white so it will be sort of noticeable but it adheres well enough to prevent most of the stuff you'd be worried about from exposed surface.  If I can ever get to the dentist again I'm going to do that.

Sorry you have this.  I've had the same dreams and it's a horrible feeling.  I suggest you start using Sensodyne right away and look into the bonded resin.

@ Nicole....Whatever there is of a "recipe" is pretty much as I've described it.  We don't measure anything, just go grab bunches of this or that, or use handfuls of dry if there isn't any fresh.  With echinacea we yank the whole plant, scrub off, chop it up root and top and leaf and all.  The cinnamon would be several "sticks" or a tablespoon or so ground for a gallon of brew.  The pot with a gallon of water in it ends up pretty stuffed full of plant matter. It's brought to a boil and left simmering for a while, then shut off and covered and left to cool overnight before straining the plant matter out and mixing with the alcohol.  Oh, yeah, and just a dash of the cayenne, so it's not hardly noticeable at all, and we add a bit of stevia also to make it more palatable.  FWIW I only started using it after a couple of deep cleaning appointments at the periodontist, and it's ongoing along with twice daily brushing with electric brush and once daily flossing.
    I'm also using proper European "Sensodyne" toothpaste, which has the remineralizing "Novamin" in it.  I think in America this is prescription only or some such nonsense, and the toothpaste by that name does not contain this ingredient.  But you can mailorder it online from overseas....just make sure it has the Novamin.  This removed the cold sensitivity that had crept in too which made eating and drinking cold things a problem.

I believe the human body has an amazing ability to heal itself when in a healthy state and not under attack or in a state of malaise from poor diets. I'm also interested in a minimum of preventing further gum recession that I have and also healing and regrowing gum tissue. I'd like to share my experience with healing teeth since we're talking about mouth health. They're not gums of course as this thread opened discussing, but they're alive and live in the same home as the gums. I had a molar develop hot/cold sensitivity, and it progressively got worse over the years. And worse. I was chewing warm foods on the other side of my mouth to avoid the spontaneous sharp icepick like shooting pain if hot or cold things contacted that tooth. I began thinking that at a minimum a dentist will want to put a crown on that tooth, or do a root canal. I can be kinda stubborn sometimes, and in recent years have grown skeptical of modern western healthcare of any kind. So what did I do? I definitely didn't go to the dentist. I quit using toothpaste. I began to brush with a 50/50 blend of baking soda and diatomaceous earth. This was two and a half years ago. After six months, there was no change. I was not feeling good about the tooth situation, but I persisted. After a year I noticed minor improvement, like room temperature fruit didn't feel cold and no longer caused shooting pains. After 18 months, cool drinks and warm soups no longer bothered me and didn't cause any pain, but hot potato or ice cream would cause shooting pain. Now, 30 months after abandoning toothpastes, my tooth, whatever was going wrong with it, seems to have completely reversed and has healed. I can chew hot foods and I no longer have to keep ice cream on one side of my mouth. I am convinced that modern chemical toothpastes only offer an illusion of clean healthy teeth, but the glycerin at a minimum, (perhaps other ingredients) prevent teeth from remineralizing and I believe that toothpastes are deleterious. It's been an incredibly slow process, but it's worked. I think it's important to note that a body needs in part to quality food, a full complement of minerals for it to do its job being healthy, which includes healing. I take daily kelp and I also drink salt water using unrefined sea salt to give my body minerals. Not so salty it tastes like sea water (yuck) but enough to notice there's something in the water. Every single glass I drink and I drink water all day long, has sea salt in it. I now crave it, and if I pour a glass of water without sea salt and take a sip it doesn't taste right, my body tells me something is missing, and I immediately reach for the salt.

I had "severe" periodontal disease and was told by a couple of oral surgeons that I needed immediate bone and gum grafting or I would be losing teeth.

There was pretty severe gum recession with deep pocketing in multiple areas and bone loss visible on x-rays and loosening of several teeth.  

That was better than 10 years ago and although my gums are not perfect by any means, my periodontal disease is listed as "stable". And my teeth are not loose anymore.

Here's what worked for me.

Homeopathic Mezereum 6C and Hepar Sulph Calc 6C. One dose of each twice a day.

Doug Simons "Wound and Tooth Powder" for brushing my teeth with. It's a powdered herbal compound of red dock, chaparral, herbs mansa, pine pitch, juniper pitch and white sage (dougsimons77at gmail dot com).

Water pick for "flossing" with. Initially I used it with salt water but as inflammation went away I switched to just water.

I did SCD for a while but then did GAPS diet for about a year and for the last 8 or so years eat mostly by way of Nourishing Traditons style although heavy on the fats and light on carbs.

To strengthen teeth enamel, I also try to eat 1/4 tsp powdered horsetail (equestrus hymale) fern daily. Mixed in yogurt or applesauce since it doesn't dissolve in liquids worth a darn. I get that from Doug Simon's as well .

I've actually been able to see my gums growing back over the exposed portions of my teeth ever so slowly. I still have pockets but haven't had them measured for several years so not sure how they might be changing.

my mother had to have the gum grafting and all sorts of terrible things, so when my gums started receding I got really scared. My gums have always bled like crazy, and gums recede with age normally, so I'm very cautious.
I do oil pulling in the morning (untoasted sesame oil) before eating/taking my vitamins. I know there is no proof of anything, but I notice when I do it every morning (after um, lapses) my gums bleed significantly less. I have no idea why and I enjoy doing it (silly to say, but it's a good start to my morning) so I continue.
I floss like mad, even though it makes me bleed and I hate it, and also use the Sensodyne (i'll have to check the ingredient list; I do notice that no other sensitive toothpaste works as well). It makes a serious difference not just in sensitivity but in gum grumpiness.
I also use a toothbrush with super, super fine bristles, like so fine they go between my teeth, it was extremely uncomfortable at first but I feel like it made a nice difference (Oral B brand, you probably have had them up there forever but it was new down here a few months ago)
In the evening, after brushing and flossing I rinse with povidone iodine solution, since I usually gargle with iodine as part of the new anti-covid reality I decided to stop using other mouth rinses and just go with this for both.

I also have accepted that I can't eat popcorn anymore (sigh). I love popcorn but I will guaranteed have at least one problem gum region the next day.

Alder, thank you for sharing that recipe, I will be buying some booze to concoct some to try rinsing in the morning.

Like many of you, I also have receding gums. I have no excuse though, since I used to be a chair-side assistant for a periodontist. I knew what to do to keep my mouth healthy, and I didn't do them. I know those moments of panic you speak of. I have temperature sensitivity as well. I haven't tried anything to regrow my gums because I didn't think there was a way. I'm glad to have read your posts.

I tried Sensodyne for tooth sensitivity, but it actually made things worse. I now use Young Living Thieves toothpaste. I don't like the price, but I feel better using it than I have for a long time. I really don't know if I have the same level of sensitivity as I had before because I avoid cold foods (or warm them up) and drink only tepid fluids since a heart surgery left me with trigeminal neuralgia like nerve pain in my jaw, which can be triggered by extreme temperatures.

The biggest difference I saw (via the remarks of the hygienist) was after I started using a Waterpik. I now use it religiously once or twice a day in place of flossing. It really isn't a replacement for flossing, but the nerve pain makes me want to avoid opening my mouth too far, for too long. But I did have a dentist tell me that he doesn't floss anymore - just worked himself up to the highest setting on the Waterpik, and called it done. Of course, he can scale the inside surface of his lower incisors anytime he feels build up - it's not quite the same for civilians.

I became very self-conscious of the possibility of food wedged between my teeth between meals, and have noticed that I smile less. The need to mask up has actually helped that impulse to hide, and I smile more now, even though it can't be seen. Good luck to us all!

I've done it, twice, but recently it hasn't worked anymore, so there must be other factors. But this is worth doing in either case as it is probably one of the factors.  Gelatin, Great Lakes porcine is a good, clean brand.  I had them regrow about 3 or 4 millimeters.  I had to redo it about 8 years later.  Why it isn't working for me now is a mystery, and probably more from stress, but it's still probably helping other parts of my body regrow.  If you get a lot of mineral broths already it may be redundant, but it's a cheap thing to try and basically no downsides.  I need a cleaning now, and live in a high covid state so...not taking that risk.

At any rate, it's not true that they can't regrow, I've seen it myself, and it was dramatic and fast, only a few weeks.  Skin regrows all the time, we don't have the same cells for more than a few years, maybe a few months, so I don't buy it that gum can't regrow.  I've seen it myself, twice.

Rob Lineberger wrote:
It is impossible for gum tissues to regrow.

R Scott wrote:It is possible...

What I love about Permies is we can discuss politely and offer help while having different views.

This reminds me of a famous quote attributed to Henry Ford. He Said: "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right!"

It makes me think of the placebo effect. There is also a nocebo effect.

I believe in the power of my mind.

I'm nearly 60 and my gums have receded as well, but I don't worry too much about it.  Maybe because I'm a guy, whatever.  Your gums and bone grow from the inside.  First of all, quit the milk, sugar, and all meats.  I have concluded that it's all a world domination attempt by big agra, big pharma, and big medicine to keep us all guessing.  Simple is better.  Get away from those three things and ALL REFINED foods.  There are a ton of relevant new studies out there supporting this.  Give your body the tools it needs.  Go vegan, this from a life long meat eater.  I'm in a water only fast right now to reverse the damage I've done to myself over these past several decades, so I know there is hope even for receding gums.  Keep your chin up and go get 'em girl.

I started making my own toothpaste and my gums got healthier. I use 1cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup xylitol, 6tsp. Bone meal powder and some peppermint flavoring. When I started using this my gums showed marked improvement at my next dentist appointment. The dentist and dental assistant seemed a bit unhappy with me. I don’t go there anymore.

Hi there you all gum recessioners.
Firstly gum recession can be caused by 2 thing - lack of bone OR unbalanced pressure from jaws.
You'll need a very good biological dentist to diagnose.

Secondly, do not drink very hot drinks and eat hard food like bread crums, krutons ect...

I recommend reading "cure gum disease" by ramial nagal. He talks about Phytic acid as enemy namber 1 for theeth health, and can cause deficiency in fat soluble vitamins a,d, e, k. Very interesting stuff.

From my own experience, after 2 births my theeth and gum condition really got worst dou to mineral deficiency, so try to take good care of youre body.

I just went back to the dentist two days ago, for a 6 month recheck and cleaning.  I had gone years without seeing a dentist and I think I was having temperature sensitivity - that's what inspired me to go in the spring.  

At my first visit, they were telling me about too deep pockets in my gums (I don't remember the numbers, but maybe 3 and 4 mm) and mostly exclaiming that my enamel was quite worn and did I maybe grind my teeth? They wanted to make sure I wasn't using a toothpaste with clay or other polishing substances that might be wearing away at my tooth enamel.

I'm not sure if I 'fessed up to brushing my teeth with hydrogen peroxide.  I've been doing it for decades, eventually locating and buying food-grade H2O2 that I dilute 10:1 with distilled water.  Over the years I'd moved from using just drops of it to swigging maybe half an ounce and swishing that around before brushing.  It makes my teeth *so* smooth and slippery, and really blocks tartar formation.

After that visit, I did some more research on H2O2 and teeth and this time I found evidence that H2O2 damages tooth enamel. (I'd looked for information probably 20 years ago, but it was harder to find in those days.)  I couldn't stop using it, my teeth feel gross in the morning if I don't, but I backed off to less than 1mL again, which honestly is plenty to make a nice foam and clean my teeth. I'm using a baking soda tooth powder, also sprinkled on the toothbrush bristles.

Well, at my return visit, I got no lecturing about my tooth enamel being dangerously thin and they didn't ask if I grind my teeth.  The hygienist went all through my mouth measuring the depth of my gums, and it was lots of 2-1-2 instead of higher numbers.  She did say I need to pay more attention to the back side of my upper incisors.

One thing they recommended at my first visit to use in lieu of flossing was these plastic scrubby toothpicks. (GUM soft-picks, they are white and green.)  I hesitate to mention them as they're not very "permie," but I think they were an important part of the changes I made.  In my defense, I think the package I bought will last me possibly the rest of my life as I'm not throwing them away after one use, I'm using more like one a week.  I now have the original sample (in a little paper envelope) the dentist gave me in my purse, very convenient for when I feel like there's something stuck in my teeth and I'm out and about!

Anyway, hydrogen peroxide is like magic in terms of knocking back bacteria, but it is strong, and damaging to tooth enamel over time, so go easy on the quantities.  (Oh, and I do NOT recommend using it on wounds, unless your fear of infection outweighs any concerns about scarring.  Hydrogen peroxide kills everything, including healthy skin cells.)

I had receding gums and then started using spilanthes tincture as a mouth wash (2 droppers full at night after brushing). After a year my dentist said my gums were in the top 10% of healthy ones he had seen.
Definitely worth a try for your situation!
Good luck.

I am grateful to see the many responses to this question. I have had periodontal disease for more than 20 years, and I have struggled to maintain my teeth. I was especially intrigued by the mention of Doug Simons’ natural methods, so I looked him up on YouTube. I found this video and saved it to watch later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b2Qp8jOl0s

Alder Burns wrote:... echinacea we yank the whole plant, scrub off, chop it up root and top and leaf and all.  The cinnamon would be several "sticks" or a tablespoon or so ground for a gallon of brew.  The pot with a gallon of water in it ends up pretty stuffed full of plant matter. It's brought to a boil and left simmering for a while, then shut off and covered and left to cool overnight before straining the plant matter out and mixing with the alcohol.  Oh, yeah, and just a dash of the cayenne, so it's not hardly noticeable at all, and we add a bit of stevia also to make it more palatable..

Alder, I made a pot of this this week and I'm thrilled with it. It's only been a few days but it feels great to use. I used most of your suggested herbs (except echinacea, which we don't have) and subbed out oak for a local plant known for anti-bleeding and skin healing effects (Stryphnodendron adstringens). Thanks so much for sharing!!

Yes, I have.  Two words, Oil Pulling!

First thing in the AM on an empty stomach before eating or drinking anything, 15 to 20 minutes of oil pulling followed by a warm water rinse and gentle tooth brushing works wonders!  Spit the oil into a trash can or compost pile as your sink drain will not appreciate congealed oil.

I have experienced amazing results with organic coconut oil.  It will turn from solid to liquid after a minute or so.  There are other oils you can use but I can only speak to coconut oil.

12 Years ago I was told by a periodontist that I "Urgently needed gum grafts".  Instead of surgery I chose diligent flossing, a gentle bristle tooth brush and began a daily practice of oil pulling.

After a few weeks of oil pulling you will notice your gums will look and feel stronger and healthier, your teeth will be whiter and your breathe fresher.

Try oil pulling before you consider any surgical procedure or synthetic chemical remedy!

I figured I'd make an update and share what I'm doing, and can kind of chart my results.

My current nightly routine, in order (with the approximate dates I added the thing to my routine)

-- Brushing a lot less, and using non-fluoride tooth past (rather than just water). I brush for maybe 30 seconds, rather than 2 minutes. I'm very careful to avoid my gums (been doing this since at least November 8th)

-- Flossing every night, but NOT flossing into my gums. I try to only floss my teeth, rather than jamming it merrily into my gums (been doing this since at least November 8th)

-- Scraping gently with my fingernail each of my front teeth, front and back. I scrape the plaque that gathers by my gumline, since my toothbrush can't get their safely, especially on the teeth that have the root exposed (been doing this since about November 20th)

-- Rinsing my mouth withDr. H. & Co. Dentist Formulated Refresh Mouthwash - All Natural Herbal and Holistic Mouth Rinse for Healthy Gums and Teeth . I didn't have time to locate all the ingredients in Alder Burns recipe and brew my own rinse. But this rinse was the only one I could find to buy that had the White Oak. It also has "Aloe Vera, Licorice Root, Holy Basil, Calendula, White Oak Bark, Peppermint Oil, Cinnamon Oil, Tea Tree Oil and Xylitol." (been doing this since at least November 25th or 26th)

-- Coconut oil rinse/oil pulling for 15+ minutes every night before bed. (Sometimes I swish with calcium citrate powder added to my coconut oik, too. Maybe once a week) (been doing this since at least November 8th)

I rarely have a chance/remember to brush in the morning. For a while after my dentist appointment (when my teeth and gums hurt from all the scraping), I was doing multiple coconut oil rinses a day.

I also have taken to wearing my retainer nearly every night, to prevent my teeth from shifting more. I used to wear it--as my orthodontist recommended--once a week (sometimes a less frequently when life was crazy and I forgot. Now I get out of bed to go and get it, rather than saying "Bah, I'll just wear it tomorrow instead")


Things I've noticed:

(1) The amount of plaque I'm scraping off my teeth has reduced greatly since I started using Dr. H. & Co. mouthwash. It's maybe a 10th of what it used to be. This was a really surprising result, and happened within 2 days of starting to use the rinse.

(2) The mouth rinse seems to have softened the tartar on the backsides of my lower front teeth. I grow a lot of tartar there, and had developed quite a bit within just  month of my dentist cleaning. A little less than a week ago, I thought I'd try scraping some gently off with my finger nail. I got 90% of it off with just my fingernail! The other times I've tried to remove tartar with my fingernail, it was a lot harder and I was not nearly as successful.

I have not noticed any gum regrowth. But, I'm also new to examining my teeth, and I'm still in a bit of dismay/disbelief at just how bad my teeth/gums had gotten. I'm pretty sure it's not getting worse--it's just that I've never really spent time inspecting my teeth and it's surprising and distressing to see just how bad they'd become.

My next dentist appointment is in March. I'll ask them to measure my gums at the appointment, and report back in this thread. Maybe by then I'll have more improvement. But, having less plaque and tartar should do wonders for preventing more recession, since that and teeth shifting (but not infection) seem to be the main causes of my recession.

Rhonda Patrick recommends xylitol for teeth and gum health.  Take it along with K2 MK-7.  I chew Mentos gum for the xylitol and a supplement for the MK-7.  I used to eat natto and searched out grass fed dairy products but a supplement works better for me.

Alder Burns wrote:My partner the herbalist cooked up what we call "magic mouthwash"...a brew consisting of large handfuls each of rosemary, thyme, calendula, echinacea, white oak bark; plus some cinnamon, and a bit of cayenne, boiled up for a while and then diluted half and half with strong liquor like gin. With this I swish twice daily after brushing.

Thank you for this information! Any chance you’d be willing to share the recipe?

Marianne Hay wrote:

Alder Burns wrote:My partner the herbalist cooked up what we call "magic mouthwash"...a brew consisting of large handfuls each of rosemary, thyme, calendula, echinacea, white oak bark; plus some cinnamon, and a bit of cayenne, boiled up for a while and then diluted half and half with strong liquor like gin. With this I swish twice daily after brushing.

Thank you for this information! Any chance you’d be willing to share the recipe?

Here's his recipe from above:

@ Nicole....Whatever there is of a "recipe" is pretty much as I've described it.  We don't measure anything, just go grab bunches of this or that, or use handfuls of dry if there isn't any fresh.  With echinacea we yank the whole plant, scrub off, chop it up root and top and leaf and all.  The cinnamon would be several "sticks" or a tablespoon or so ground for a gallon of brew.  The pot with a gallon of water in it ends up pretty stuffed full of plant matter. It's brought to a boil and left simmering for a while, then shut off and covered and left to cool overnight before straining the plant matter out and mixing with the alcohol.  Oh, yeah, and just a dash of the cayenne, so it's not hardly noticeable at all, and we add a bit of stevia also to make it more palatable.  FWIW I only started using it after a couple of deep cleaning appointments at the periodontist, and it's ongoing along with twice daily brushing with electric brush and once daily flossing.

I hope this helps!

I hope this helps!

Yes! Thank you for going to the trouble of posting again. When I first read your comment, the internet service was a bit glitchy and I couldn’t read where you had offered this information. I’ve just purchased the herbs I don’t already have and I’m very much looking forward to making your mouthwash.

I’ve been chewing on this for a while now.  Finally organized my thoughts:

Quick Drop/Keywords for Research

Bass toothbrush/ brushing method

Oral Wellness HealThy Mouth tooth oil

I add my vote to the previous posts re: Oil Pulling

Water fasting

Sodium Ascorbate rinse

Detailed Brain Dump
There are a ton of great posts here, to which I’m going to add my ‘product’ list — although the non-product remedies seem to be more aligned with Permies nature. (I especially like what Alder B’s recipe has going on.) Trial-and-error (aka ‘mad sciencing’), testing out/adding to one solution/change at a time would result in a good combo for any one person’s situation.

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What I can attest to

Bass brush/method. First found the concept here, before doing more research: https://orawellness.com/brush-teeth-reduce-gum-disease/

Oral Wellness Healthy Mouth Blend * (seems to follow other good liquid options in this thread). Been using it 2+ yrs now — on floss, brush, and as rinse

Oil Pulling — I second some version of this.  Have used in the past (not for gum reasons); can attest to it’s usefulness. Probably the easiest-to-access method to experiment with for results.

*Mom (age 66) reports that her gums are ‘fuller’ and less ‘flabby’.  According to the the ‘royal religion of dentistry’ I have ‘sensitive’ gums that bleed at the drop of a hat (not from gingivitis).  Since switching Bass + OW oil, this only occurs if I have burned/cut my mouth, and re-agitate the spot while brushing.

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Other interesting items to note

Sodium Ascorbate: I’ve heard of using this as a mouthwash — swish around and hold — supposed to help with gum health (not sure if related to recession)

Article: https://yummy.doctor/blog/how-to-heal-your-mouth-naturally/

Water Fast: accounts suggest that, at a point your body goes into a healing space where it does some cool tooth stuff. I first heard about water fasting in a documentary where they mentioned a German spa/health clinic (fairly far back in history) using it for healing. The tooth aspect more recently on a podcast with Sayer Ji (can’t recall which/whose cast, but here’s a resource site for him: https://www.greenmedinfo.com)

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We are what we eat, think, read, listen to, and watch. Following my own personal body logic, I’d start thinking/researching ...

Topical? Something too harsh — causing wear, or it to literally shrink back in terror?

What am I eating/drinking? Something new? Something every day or multiple times a day?  I’d try cutting out that thing for a couple months to see what results

What are gums designed for? What am I (or not) giving my body (nutrients) that it could use to stand up to regular use?

How have I been sleeping? What am I thinking (if you have nightmares about gum recession... a LOT of power in thoughts and mind stuff!)

What does “recession” mean? Lack of blood flow comes to mind — could that indicate gentle massage or warm compress (plain, or with healing/soothing herbs)?

The body’s natural state is homeostasis — what could be throwing my mouth/mucous membranes out of whack?

Who told me it’s recession? Are there alternative opinions/thoughts that make sense for my situation?

What does “plaque” indicate?  I’d look up the dental definition of plaque + a few natural medicine/practitioner’s point of view. Which makes more sense for my situation?

Aaand ... for the most off-the-cuff thought I’d explore: what type of ‘body material’ are gums considered? (I have no idea; rabbit hole I’d follow: if gums like skin, would a skin remedy apply? If more like ‘muscle’, what leads to muscular degeneration? Could that apply to what’s going on in my mouth?)

Nicole Alderman wrote:My periodontal pockets were 5 and 6 mm. I never have my gum bleed, though they are sensitive to cold and sweets, especially if I don't swish coconut oil.  

So, I went in yesterday for my 6-month dental visit. I can still see the roots of some of my teeth, and it doesn't seem like my gums have grown back at all. I still have cold sensitivity, and it doesn't seem like anything has gotten better. I still had quite a bit of tartar for my hygienist to scrape away.

Interestingly enough, they measured my gums with the dental probe, and the numbers were all 1s and 2s. That's a vast improvement over 5 & 6 mm! I don't think this means that my gums are regrowing, but I think it does mean that they are not as inflamed and--hopefully--I have slowed/stopped the recession.

I'm going to continue everything I've been doing:

-- coconut oil swishing for 20+ minutes a day
-- brushing very softly (I use a small, soft tooth brush, and either non-fluoride toothpaste or Sensodine. I don't think the Sensodine does ANYTHING for gum sensitivity! But maybe it's helping in some way)
-- manually scraping away plaque that is near the gums (I just use my fingernail)
-- wearing my retainer every night so my teeth don't shift
-- trying not to stress/clench-my-jaw (hahahaha, life is too stressful and busy right now to succeed at that.)
-- using the mouthwash at least twice a week (my mouth HATES the burning of alcohol)
-- not flossing deeply (my hygienist said I should, but until I can find a natural, thin floss, I'd really rather not be bonking my gums and traumatizing them any more than I need to!)

Hello.  May I ask which spilanthes tincture do you use?  Thank you.

My teeth for the most part are pretty healthy, however, I have one bottom tooth in the front where the gum has receded alot over the years. My dentist said a few years ago that it could be from having braces for a couple years. Does anyone else have this issue on just one tooth?

My mother swears that buying a waterpik (home version of the water wands that dentists use) has reversed gum recession for her. Much more gentle than floss, and gets into all the corners. Her gums have been measured to have smaller pockets since she started using it.  Dental hygienist is amazed at how good the condition of her teeth has become.

Also - yes, buy a 'soft' toothbrush instead of the 'medium' or 'firm' versions.

I was reminded of this thread the other day (I needed a moderate tooth repair that had been delayed).
I was told by my dentist a couple of years ago that he was worried about my gum recession. Noone had mentioned it before, but I guess it had been progressively getting worse. His advice was to choose a soft brush and brush gently. This was maybe three or four years ago.
Now, I get scolded by my husband for not using toothpaste - I hate the frothyness and strong taste, so I only use it occasionally when I feel my teeth are getting a bit stained. So I use very little toothpaste, maybe once every few weeks (and just before the dentist!). I just have a feeling that it alters the pH in my mouth and kills off bacteria that should be in there living with me.
So all I did was try and brush much more gently - up and down, mostly away from the gums, not along them. I use the softest brush I can - which is usually a medium, but brush pretty thoroughly in the evening, less often in the morning or after other meals (brushing too soon after meals can damage tooth enamel I gather). I've always used a manual brush, never electric.
Anyway, good news, I asked the dentist and he think my gums are much better now. I think too they look closer to the tooth enamel myself too.
It sounds like some people on this thread have more issues than I had, but for minor recession, just try brushing more gently.

Plucked one of my rotted root abscessed molars out with pliers last month. The swelling and infection spread to my ears, sinus cavities and eye sockets. Hot salt water flushes alleviated the problem and pain for several months, but eventually the pain became excruciating and the infection was winning.

Didn't hurt or bleed much when I yanked it. Whale of a tooth. I might scrimshaw it with virgin maiden boobs or something similar. It'd make a nice necklace. And yeah I was thinking of Tom Hanks in Cast Away when I did that.

WILSON!!!

Nancy said, "Now, I get scolded by my husband for not using toothpaste - I hate the frothyness and strong taste, so I only use it occasionally when I feel my teeth are getting a bit stained. So I use very little toothpaste, maybe once every few weeks (and just before the dentist!). I just have a feeling that it alters the pH in my mouth and kills off bacteria that should be in there living with me.

Don't feel bad for not using toothpaste.  My periodontist told me not to use toothpaste. He said that if I just must use toothpaste, brush my teeth without toothpaste and then with toothpaste.  The reasoning was that a person will get teeth cleaner without toothpaste.

Another thing, though it isn't low-tech, but works is a Hydrofloss, which is a bit different from a regular Waterpik because of magnetics.
https://hydrofloss.com/ We got ours from David who is very generous with his time if you have questions https://toothygrins.net/products/hydro-floss-oral-irrigator-new-generation
We gave one to a friend who was supposed to need a deep gum cleaning but obviated it with  Hydrofloss use.

The Hydrofloss people are really friendly and helpful – they even repair the devices! We've had ours for 12 years with one repair. We were fortunate to find a new one at the thrift store to have as a back-up if ours fails completely.