Receding gums can’t grow back on their own, but several treatments can restore lost tissue, stop further recession, and protect exposed roots. The right fix depends on how far the gums have pulled back, what caused the recession, and how many teeth are affected. Options range from changing your brushing habits (for very early cases) to surgical grafting, which has a success rate above 90% for the most common procedure.
Why Gums Recede in the First Place
Gum recession happens when the tissue surrounding your teeth wears away or pulls back, exposing more of the tooth or its root. The most common drivers are gum disease, aggressive brushing, genetics, teeth grinding, and tobacco use. A cross-sectional study comparing smokers to non-smokers found that smokers had roughly double the rate of gum recession (25% versus 13%), making tobacco one of the strongest modifiable risk factors.
Hormonal shifts during pregnancy or menopause can also make gum tissue more vulnerable. Misaligned teeth or a thin bone structure over the roots puts certain people at higher risk regardless of their oral hygiene. Understanding what triggered your recession matters because any treatment will fail long-term if the underlying cause isn’t addressed first.
Non-Surgical Approaches for Early Recession
If your recession is mild and caught early, a periodontist may recommend non-surgical strategies to halt progression and let the tissue stabilize. These won’t regrow gum tissue, but they can prevent things from getting worse.
- Switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush. Hard bristles and scrubbing side to side are a surprisingly common cause of recession. A gentle circular motion with light pressure protects the gum line.
- Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing). Your dentist removes plaque and tartar below the gum line, then smooths the root surface so gum tissue can reattach more easily. This is typically the first clinical step when gum disease is present.
- Custom night guards. If grinding or clenching is contributing, a night guard distributes the force and takes pressure off vulnerable areas.
- Antimicrobial rinses or gels. These help control bacterial buildup in pockets that have formed between the gum and tooth.
Gum Grafting: The Gold Standard
When recession is moderate to severe, grafting is the most reliable way to restore lost tissue. A periodontist takes tissue from one area and attaches it over the exposed root. Three main techniques exist, and the choice depends on how much tissue you have nearby and how many teeth need coverage.
Connective Tissue Graft
This is the most widely performed graft for recession. The surgeon opens a small flap on the roof of your mouth, removes a layer of connective tissue from underneath, then stitches it over the exposed root at the recipient site. Because the tissue comes from beneath the surface of the palate rather than the top layer, the donor site heals relatively cleanly. The procedure takes 60 to 90 minutes due to the dual-site surgery, and long-term studies show a success rate above 90%. It produces excellent cosmetic results because the color and texture blend well with surrounding gums.
Pedicle Graft
Instead of harvesting tissue from the palate, the surgeon creates a flap from gum tissue right next to the receded area and rotates or slides it over the exposed root. Because the flap stays partially connected to its original blood supply, healing tends to be faster and there’s no second wound site. The procedure takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The catch is that you need enough healthy gum tissue adjacent to the recession, so it’s not an option for everyone.
Free Gingival Graft
This technique takes tissue directly from the surface of the palate and places it at the recession site. It’s used more often to thicken thin gum tissue than to cover roots, making it a better fit for people who need added tissue volume to prevent future recession rather than cosmetic root coverage.
Recovery from any gum graft typically takes one to two weeks, according to Cleveland Clinic. During that time, you’ll eat soft foods, avoid brushing the surgical area, and manage mild to moderate discomfort with over-the-counter pain relief. Most people return to normal activities within a few days, though the site continues to mature and strengthen over several months.
Laser Treatment (LANAP)
The Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure is an FDA-approved alternative that uses targeted laser energy to remove diseased gum tissue while leaving healthy tissue intact. It works by eliminating infection, reducing the depth of pockets between teeth and gums, and stimulating the bone and tissue to regenerate around the tooth roots.
LANAP is less invasive than grafting, with less discomfort and a shorter recovery window. However, it’s important to set realistic expectations: LANAP does not regrow lost gum tissue the way a graft does. What it does well is stop gum disease progression, encourage gums to reattach to tooth surfaces, and stabilize recession so it doesn’t worsen. For recession driven primarily by periodontal disease rather than tissue loss, LANAP can be a strong option. For significant cosmetic recession where root exposure is the main concern, grafting typically delivers better visible results.
Biologics That Boost Surgical Outcomes
Periodontists sometimes apply a protein-based gel called enamel matrix derivative during graft surgery. This gel mimics proteins that your body naturally uses during tooth development, and it stimulates the regeneration of the structures that anchor teeth in place: the root surface layer, the ligament fibers, and the supporting bone.
When used alongside a connective tissue graft, this biologic significantly improves the percentage of root coverage achieved. It works by boosting blood vessel growth at the surgical site and increasing the production of the structural fibers that hold gum tissue to the tooth. A three-year study tracking over 250 treated sites in 151 patients found that the clinical improvements seen at one year were either maintained or continued to improve through the full observation period. Not every case requires biologics, but for deeper recession or areas where maximum root coverage matters, they can meaningfully improve results.
What About Oil Pulling and Home Remedies?
Oil pulling, where you swish coconut or sesame oil in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes, is one of the most commonly searched home remedies for gum health. A review by the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford examined five randomized trials comparing oil pulling to mouthwash or placebo rinses. Three of four trials measuring plaque found no significant difference between oil pulling and control groups. Results for gum inflammation were similarly underwhelming, with three of four studies finding no measurable benefit over controls.
No harms were reported, but none of the studies were designed to detect them either. At present, there isn’t enough evidence to support oil pulling as an effective treatment or even a reliable supplement to brushing. The same applies to other popular remedies like aloe vera gel, green tea rinses, and turmeric paste. While some have mild anti-inflammatory properties, none have been shown to reverse gum recession in clinical trials. They’re fine as additions to good oral hygiene, but they shouldn’t replace professional treatment when recession is progressing.
How to Choose the Right Treatment
The severity of your recession largely dictates which path makes sense. A periodontist will measure how far the gum has pulled back, whether the bone between teeth is intact, and how much healthy tissue surrounds the area. These factors determine whether the recession is classified as treatable with predictable root coverage or whether the goal shifts to stabilization and preventing further loss.
For one or two teeth with moderate recession and good surrounding tissue, a connective tissue graft offers the most predictable, long-lasting result. If you have enough tissue next to the recession, a pedicle graft avoids a palate wound and heals faster. For recession caused primarily by active gum disease, getting the infection under control with deep cleaning or LANAP comes first, and grafting may follow once the tissue is stable. When multiple teeth across the mouth are affected, your periodontist may stage treatment over several visits rather than grafting everything at once.
Insurance coverage varies widely. Many dental plans cover grafting when it’s medically necessary to protect the tooth, but cosmetic coverage is less common. If cost is a concern, ask about prioritizing the teeth at greatest risk of further damage and addressing others over time.