Are you suffering from gingival recessions? Take the self-test here.

Take the self-test and answer the following 11 questions here. Your answers will not be registered by us.

Question 1: How often do you clean your teeth per day?

Ideally, you should clean your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, using a toothbrush with fluoridated toothpaste. Likewise, the spaces between the teeth should be cleaned daily. This regularly removes bacterial plaque that is harmful to teeth and also uses enough fluoride to protect against tooth decay.

As a rule, teeth should be cleaned after every meal, but at least twice a day for two minutes each time. An exception concerns the ingestion of acidic foods, after which the teeth should only be cleaned one to two hours later.

However, teeth should not be cleaned too frequently. Likewise, when cleaning more frequently, care should be taken to clean gently so that no injuries to the gum line and thus gum recession can occur.

Question 2: Do you use a manual toothbrush?

Manual toothbrushes are sufficiently effective aids to oral hygiene at home. The bristles should be soft and made of nylon so that the gum line is not damaged. The toothbrush head should be flat. The teeth can be cleaned with small circular movements and without scrubbing. Daily cleaning of the interdental spaces with an additional tool is also recommended.

The manual toothbrush is the most common scientifically studied method for effective tooth cleaning. If you do not use a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush for home oral hygiene, but for example a single tuft brush or Miswak, have the success of your oral hygiene technique confirmed in the dental practice.

“One check too many is better than one treatment too few!”

Question 3: Do you use an electric toothbrush?

Electric toothbrushes are effective aids to oral hygiene at home. Their effect is slightly superior to that of manual toothbrushes. When using electric toothbrushes, it is important to use them without putting additional pressure on the gums. If electric toothbrushes are used correctly, the risk of gum recession is not increased.

In addition, daily cleaning of the interdental spaces with an additional tool is recommended.

Manual toothbrushes are also sufficiently effective aids for oral hygiene at home. Consult your dentist’s office about which aids are the most suitable for you.

Question 4: What oral hygiene techniques do you use?

Large circular movements are good for cleaning the milk dentition in infancy. Consult your dentist’s office about which techniques are most suitable for you.

Horizontal movements are often scrubbing movements and these can cause small injuries to your gums at their edges, which can develop into gum recessions. Consult your dentist’s office about which techniques are most suitable for you.

Small jogging movements with the manual toothbrush at an angle of 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the teeth are very effective. Electric toothbrushes should also be used at an angle of 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the teeth, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.

Wiping movements from gum to tooth are gentle and efficient, especially with existing gum recessions.

Question 5: Do you now or have you previously had orthodontic treatment?

During orthodontic treatments, the teeth are often shifted outwards. This causes the outer tooth anchorage to dissolve, which can lead to gum recession.

Seek advice from your dentist so that they can adjust your oral hygiene technique if necessary.

Gum recession can occur both during and for several years after completion of orthodontic treatment.

Gum recession occurs in about 20 percent of adults who have orthodontic treatment. Gum recession is much less common in adolescents under the age of 16 who have completed their teeth straightening treatment.

Continue to take good care of your health and visit a dental practice once a year to check your oral health.

Question 6: Do you smoke?

Smoking cigarettes causes the gums to have less blood supply. This reduces its resistance, which also increases the susceptibility to gum recessions.

In smokers with gum recessions, any necessary surgical coverage of the denuded root surfaces can only be tackled after a successfully implemented smoking cessation.

Very good! Continue to take good care of your health and go to a dental office once a year to check your oral health.

If you also answered “no” to many of our other questions, continue to take good care of your oral health and have a dental check-up once a year.

Question 7: Do you use smokeless tobacco products, such as snus?

The consumption of smokeless tobacco products, such as snus, leads to changes in the oral mucosa (leukoplakia, facultative precancerous lesions) at the site of deposition in the oral cavity and often also to gingival recessions.

While the mucosal changes can disappear after stopping tobacco consumption, the gingival recessions remain at the former deposit site of the tobacco product and may therefore have to be treated with a surgical intervention.

Very good! Continue to take good care of your health and go to a dental office once a year to check your oral health.

If you also answered “no” to many of our other questions, continue to take good care of your oral health and have a dental check-up once a year.

Question 8: Do you wear a piercing on your tongue or lip?

Frequent playing with piercings is a habit that can be harmful to teeth and gums. Around 80 percent of the wearers also reveal a loss of the actual hard tooth substance at the corresponding contact points and in 25 percent of the cases, gum recession also occurs.

After the piercing has been removed, the respective gum recession remains and must therefore be treated surgically in given circumstances.

If you also answered “no” to many of our other questions, continue to take good care of your oral health and have a dental check-up once a year.

Question 9: Do you have receding gums?

The recession of the gums exposes the root surfaces. These contain nerves that can be hypersensitive to temperature changes.

Inform your dentist, dental hygienist or prophylaxis assistant that you have teeth that are sensitive to temperature changes. Accordingly, ways to alleviate the discomfort can also be discussed at this time.

If you also answered “no” to many of our other questions, continue to take good care of your oral health and have a dental check-up once a year.

Question 10: Are your teeth sensitive to cold food or cold drinks?

The recession of the gums exposes the root surfaces. These contain nerves that can be hypersensitive to temperature changes.

Inform your dentist, dental hygienist or prophylaxis assistant that you have teeth that are sensitive to temperature changes. Accordingly, ways to alleviate the discomfort can also be discussed at this time.

If you also answered “no” to many of our other questions, continue to take good care of your oral health and have a dental check-up once a year.

Question 11: Do you have dark spots in the area of bared tooth necks?

The hard substance of the denuded tooth root is less resistant to caries than the substance of the tooth crown (enamel). The so-called root caries can therefore progress more quickly and must therefore be better prevented.

Inform your dental practice. A thorough examination there will reveal what the causes of this discolouration are and whether you need appropriate treatment.

If you also answered “no” to many of our other questions, continue to take good care of your oral health and have a dental check-up once a year.

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