The correct term for gum recession should be receding gums, receding gums are generally not painful, but plaque retention, mechanical trauma, orthodontic forces and other causes of receding gums will cause pain, as follows.
1. Plaque retention: when subgingival plaque caused by chronic inflammation of the gums, lesions caused by the destruction of the gingival tissue structure, resulting in gingival recession, gingival and periodontal chronic inflammation will have pain.
2. Mechanical trauma: Gum recession is often caused by improper brushing, such as the use of hard toothbrushes, brushing force is too large, horizontal brushing, etc., and pain will be felt when these behaviors occur.
3. Orthodontic force: Gums recede when teeth are moved to the labial and buccal sides during orthodontic treatment, and pain is felt when orthodontic force is applied.
There may be other reasons for pain when the gums recede, and if the pain symptoms are severe, it is recommended that you seek medical attention promptly.