Receding gums can’t regrow on their own, but the right combination of daily care products, professional treatments, and in some cases surgery can stop the process, protect exposed roots, and even restore lost gum tissue. What you should use depends on how far your recession has progressed.
Toothpaste That Actually Helps
Not all fluoride toothpastes are equal when it comes to gum recession. Standard toothpastes use sodium fluoride, which strengthens enamel but does little for the bacteria driving gum disease. Stannous fluoride, found in several over-the-counter brands, kills bacteria by disrupting their metabolic processes. It also keeps the pH in your mouth from dropping as low after eating, which limits the acid damage that weakens gum attachment.
In a two-year clinical trial of 334 patients with progressive gum disease, participants lost nearly a millimeter of gum tissue during the first year. During the second year of using stannous fluoride toothpaste, that recession reversed by about three-quarters of a millimeter. Earlier formulations had a metallic taste and caused staining, but reformulated versions have been widely available since 2006. Look for “stannous fluoride” on the active ingredient label rather than “sodium fluoride.”
The Right Toothbrush and Technique
If you have receding gums, your toothbrush matters more than you might think. The American Dental Association recommends soft bristles for everyone, but people with recession or gum disease often benefit from extra-soft bristles, which clean effectively without further irritating thinning tissue. Medium and hard bristles wear down enamel and accelerate gum thinning over time.
Technique is just as important as bristle type. Pressing harder doesn’t clean better. Heavy brushing with even a soft brush causes the same damage as a harder brush. Electric toothbrushes with built-in pressure sensors can help here, alerting you when you’re pushing too hard. Aim for two minutes per session with gentle, short strokes angled toward the gumline.
Interdental Cleaning: Skip the Floss Debate
When gums recede, gaps open between teeth and roots become partially exposed, creating new places for plaque to collect. Research from the University at Buffalo found that interdental brushes and water flossers outperformed other cleaning tools at reducing gingivitis, and both work best when combined with daily brushing. Traditional floss has surprisingly little published evidence supporting its ability to reduce plaque and gingivitis, though it remains useful if you have tight spaces between teeth where a small brush won’t fit.
If your gums have receded enough to create visible triangular gaps between teeth, interdental brushes in the right size are your best option. They conform to the shape of those gaps and clean the exposed root surfaces that a toothbrush can’t reach.
Antimicrobial Rinses
For active gum disease contributing to recession, your dentist may prescribe a chlorhexidine mouthwash. The typical dose is 10 milliliters twice a day, used for up to four weeks. Longer use causes tooth staining, so it’s a short-term tool to knock back bacterial levels, not a permanent addition to your routine.
Oil pulling with virgin coconut oil has shown some clinical promise as a gentler alternative. A study comparing coconut oil pulling to chlorhexidine in patients with chronic gum disease found comparable reductions in bacterial load and inflammatory markers. Oil pulling won’t regrow gum tissue, but it may help control the infection that causes further loss, with fewer side effects than prescription rinses.
Professional Deep Cleaning
Mild recession caused by early gum disease often responds to scaling and root planing, commonly called a deep cleaning. Scaling removes plaque and tarite above the gumline, while root planing smooths the root surfaces below the gumline so bacteria can’t reattach as easily. This combination halts the cycle of infection and inflammation that pulls gums away from teeth.
Deep cleaning is typically done under local anesthesia in one or two visits and is the standard first step before considering any surgical option. Getting treatment at this stage can prevent both further recession and tooth loss.
When You Need Surgery
Advanced recession, where a significant amount of root is exposed or gum tissue is very thin, usually requires a surgical approach. Two main options exist.
Connective tissue grafting is the traditional method. A small piece of tissue is taken from the roof of your mouth and stitched over the exposed root. Recovery takes about two weeks to feel normal, though full healing continues underneath. By day 10 to 14, about 85 to 90 percent of grafts show initial attachment. Swelling peaks around 48 to 72 hours after surgery, and you can expect throbbing pain for the first two days that shifts to a dull ache by days four through seven. The graft starts out pale or yellowish, then gradually turns pink as blood vessels connect. Most patients eat and function normally by four to six weeks, with final cosmetic results visible at three to six months.
Pinhole surgical technique is a newer, minimally invasive option. Instead of a tissue graft, a small needle creates access above the gumline, and a specialized instrument gently loosens and repositions your existing gum tissue over the exposed root. There’s no donor site on the palate, results are visible immediately, and recovery is generally faster than traditional grafting.
The severity of your recession determines which approach works best. When the bone between teeth is still intact, root coverage outcomes are predictable and successful. When bone loss between teeth is significant, grafting is done primarily to thicken the remaining gum tissue and slow future loss rather than to fully cover exposed roots.
A Practical Daily Routine
Combining the right tools in the right order gives you the best chance of protecting what you have. Use a stannous fluoride toothpaste with an extra-soft or soft-bristled brush, spending a full two minutes with light pressure. Follow with an interdental brush or water flosser to clean the gaps and root surfaces your toothbrush misses. If your dentist has prescribed chlorhexidine, use it after brushing for the recommended duration. Otherwise, a coconut oil pull for 10 to 15 minutes a few times per week offers a low-risk way to manage bacterial levels.
Recession progresses slowly, so consistent daily care makes a measurable difference over months and years. The products and tools above won’t reverse significant tissue loss on their own, but they create the conditions that prevent things from getting worse, and they’re essential for maintaining results after professional treatment.