Because the changes in the condition of the gums from one day to another are minimal, patients get used to the gums appearance and tend not to notice the recession visually. Receding gums may remain unnoticed until the condition starts to cause symptoms. The following signs and symptoms may indicate gum recession:

Tooth mobility
Dentin hypersensitivity (over-sensitive teeth) - short, sharp pain is triggered by hot, cold, sweet, sour, or spicy food and drink. If the cementum covering the root is not protected anymore by the gums, it is easily abraded exposing the dentin tubules to external stimuli. Teeth may also appear longer than normal (a larger part of the crown is visible if gums are receding)
The roots of the tooth are exposed and visible
The tooth feels notched at the gum line
Change in the tooth’s color (due to the color difference between enamel and cementum)
Spaces between teeth seem to grow (the space is the same, but it seems larger because the gums do not fill it any more)
Cavities below the gum lineIf the gum recession is caused by gingivitis, the following symptoms may also be present:

Puffy, red, or swollen (inflamed) gums
Gum bleeding while brushing or flossing
Bad breath (halitosis)In some cases, it is the treatment of gingivitis that reveals a gum recession problem, that was previously masked by the gums swelling.
Gingival grafting
Depending on the shape of the gum recession and the levels of bone around the teeth, areas of gum recession can be regenerated with new gum tissue using a variety of gum grafting "periodontal plastic surgery" procedures performed by a specialist in periodontics (a periodontist). These procedures are typically completed under local anesthesia with or without conscious sedation, as the patient prefers. This may involve repositioning of adjacent gum tissue to cover the recession (called a pedicle graft) or use of a free graft of gingival or connective tissue from the roof of the mouth (called a free gingival graft or a subepithelial connective tissue graft). Alternatively, a material called acellular dermal matrix (processed donated human skin allograft) may be used instead of tissue from the patients own palate. Growth-factor techniques
Recent advances have seen the introduction of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) infused bone graft material. This material is usually combined with the cellular matrix to form a soft bone paste that is then covered by the allograft. The development of this type of bone and tissue cellular matrix (also known as ortho filler) results in greater osseointegration with the patients healthy bone and soft tissue. Healing from such procedures requires 2–4 weeks. After a few months the results can be evaluated and in some cases the new tissue needs to be reshaped in a very minor procedure to get an optimal result. In cases where recession is not accompanied by periodontal bone loss, complete or near complete coverage of the recession area is achievable.