The occurrence of receding gums is made possible when the bone underneath the gingiva or gums melts away.  Reasons for receding gums may vary from one patient to another, it may depend on the patient's age and condition. Forceful brushing with hard toothbrush is blamed by most dental professionals to be causing receding gums. Patients with receding gum problems never realize the bad effects of brushing teeth too hard.  However, in most young people, receding gum condition is caused by tooth grinding and not tooth brushing. Unfortunately, these undesirable changes can usually be seen in a patient's smile and gum surgery remains the primary corrective procedure. Dentist may perform gum graft as a treatment because there is no underlying bone for the grafted gums, but the treatment may not produce lasting results.