Receding gums can’t grow back on their own, but several treatments can stop the process, restore lost tissue, and protect exposed roots. The right approach depends on how far the recession has progressed: mild cases often respond to non-surgical cleaning and habit changes, while moderate to severe recession typically requires some form of gum surgery. Here’s what each treatment involves and what to expect.
Why Gums Recede in the First Place
Gum recession happens when the tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of the tooth or its root. Two broad categories drive this: infection and mechanical damage. Periodontal disease, the chronic bacterial infection of gum tissue, gradually destroys the attachment between gums and teeth. Brushing too hard or using a firm-bristled toothbrush physically wears the tissue away over time, even in an otherwise healthy mouth.
Other contributors include teeth grinding (which puts constant lateral force on the gum line), tobacco use, hormonal shifts during pregnancy or menopause, crooked teeth that create uneven pressure, and even lip or tongue piercings that rub against the gums. Knowing the underlying cause matters because treatment won’t last if the thing driving the recession isn’t addressed first.
Deep Cleaning for Early-Stage Recession
When recession is mild and linked to gum disease, the first-line treatment is scaling and root planing, often called a deep cleaning. Your dentist or hygienist numbs the area with local anesthesia, then uses hand instruments or ultrasonic tools to remove plaque and tartar both above and below the gum line. After the buildup is cleared, they smooth the root surfaces so the gum tissue can reattach more easily.
The procedure takes one to two hours and may be done in a single visit or split across two appointments if the whole mouth needs treatment. Your provider may also place antibiotics directly around the tooth roots or prescribe oral antibiotics afterward to knock out remaining bacteria. For many people with early recession caused by periodontal disease, this is enough to halt the progression and allow the gums to tighten back around the teeth, though it won’t regenerate tissue that’s already gone.
Gum Grafting: The Standard Surgical Fix
When recession is significant enough that root surfaces are exposed or sensitivity is constant, a gum graft rebuilds the lost tissue. There are three main types, and the one your periodontist recommends depends on the location, the amount of tissue available nearby, and your goals.
Connective Tissue Graft
This is the most common type. Your periodontist takes a small piece of tissue from a deeper layer beneath the roof of your mouth and stitches it over the exposed root. Because the tissue comes from under the surface rather than from the top layer, the donor site heals more comfortably. Connective tissue grafts are typically used when the goal is both covering the root and thickening thin gum tissue, especially in areas that are visually prominent or sensitive to cold.
Free Gingival Graft
Instead of harvesting deeper tissue, the periodontist takes a piece from the outer surface of the palate and places it directly over the recession. This type is designed more to reinforce and thicken weak gum tissue than to cover roots for cosmetic reasons. It’s often chosen when the existing tissue is very thin and at risk of further breakdown.
Pedicle Graft
Rather than borrowing tissue from the palate, the periodontist rotates a flap of gum from right next to the recession site, pivoting it over to cover the exposed area. The tissue keeps its original blood supply, which can promote faster healing. The catch is that you need plenty of healthy gum tissue adjacent to the recession. This approach works best when only one tooth is affected and the neighboring gums are thick and healthy.
The national average cost for gum graft surgery is around $2,742, though it can range from roughly $2,120 to nearly $5,000 depending on how many teeth are involved and the type of graft. Some dental insurance plans cover a portion, often around half, but many have annual maximums that may not cover the full bill. Medical insurance occasionally steps in for severe periodontal disease cases that qualify as medically necessary.
Pinhole Surgery: A Less Invasive Alternative
The Pinhole Surgical Technique skips the large incisions and tissue harvesting of traditional grafting. Instead, a periodontist makes a tiny hole in the gum tissue and uses specialized instruments to gently loosen and reposition the existing gums down over the exposed roots. No sutures are needed, and no tissue is taken from the palate.
Recovery is noticeably faster than with conventional grafts. Most people return to work or school the next day with only mild soreness or a feeling of pressure. Tenderness eases over the first two to five days, during which you’ll want to stick to soft foods. By the end of the first week, discomfort typically fades and gums begin settling into their new position. The small entry points heal completely within two to four weeks, and full stability takes one to three months. This approach appeals to people who need treatment across multiple teeth at once, since several areas can be treated in a single visit without creating a large wound on the palate.
Managing Tooth Sensitivity From Recession
Exposed roots lack the protective enamel that covers the crown of your tooth, which is why receding gums often come with sharp sensitivity to cold drinks, hot food, or even cold air. While you arrange or recover from treatment, desensitizing toothpaste can take the edge off.
The most widely available formulas contain 5% potassium nitrate, which calms the nerve inside the tooth by reducing its ability to fire pain signals. Stannous fluoride (often listed as 0.454% on the label) works differently: it physically blocks the tiny channels in exposed root surfaces that transmit sensation. Some toothpastes combine both ingredients. Products containing 8% arginine or strontium compounds also show up in specialty formulas and work by sealing those same channels. Whichever you choose, it typically takes two to four weeks of consistent twice-daily use before you notice a meaningful difference.
Recovery After Gum Graft Surgery
If you go the traditional graft route, the recovery timeline is predictable but requires patience. On surgery day, you’ll ice your cheek in 15-minute intervals and eat only soft, cold foods like yogurt, applesauce, and smoothies. Hot, spicy, and crunchy foods are off the table. For the first few days, sleeping with your head elevated helps keep swelling down.
During days four through seven, you’ll still eat soft foods and keep physical activity light, since anything that raises your heart rate significantly can trigger bleeding at the graft site. By the second week, swelling drops noticeably and you can start introducing soft solids like scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes, though you should chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Resist the urge to poke the graft site with your tongue or fingers.
Weeks three and four mark the transition back toward normal eating and brushing, though you’ll still use a soft-bristled brush and avoid scrubbing near the graft. By months two and three, long-term healing is underway. Foods rich in vitamins A and C (carrots, oranges, bell peppers) support tissue repair during this phase. Smoking is the single biggest threat to a successful graft, as it restricts blood flow to healing tissue and dramatically raises the risk of graft failure.
Preventing Further Recession
Treatment only holds if you address what caused the recession. The Cleveland Clinic’s prevention recommendations are straightforward: brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, floss once daily, and use an antimicrobial mouthwash twice daily. If you’ve been told your brushing technique is too aggressive, switching to an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor can help retrain your hand.
Keep up with professional cleanings on whatever schedule your dentist recommends. Many people do fine with twice-yearly visits, but if you have a history of gum disease, you may need cleanings every three or four months. If you grind your teeth at night, a custom night guard protects both the gum line and the tooth enamel from the repetitive force that drives recession. And if you use tobacco in any form, quitting is the most impactful single change you can make for your gum health.