You may be getting frustrated because you exercise good oral hygiene habits with your teeth every day, but you still see your gums bleeding. It might be from something incredibly simple, like being too aggressive with your daily brushing or your flossing techniques. It might be a sign of another persistent issue. You should consider making an appointment with your dentist for an examination. Bleeding gums are quite often the result of gum disease. It may also be a symptom of another oral health problem. The gums play a crucial role in the infrastructure of your mouth. They completely encompass your teeth, providing a tight seal around them. Different than the soft tissue of your cheeks, your gums are also connected to the underlying bone, which controls the friction resistance of food consumption.
Common Causes for Bleeding Gums
Unpleasant oral health issues are usually the primary cause of gum bleeding. Gingivitis and periodontitis are stages of gum disease that infect your gums, resulting in damage and making them sensitive and vulnerable to both swelling and bleeding. You might have bleeding gums from another cause:
- You have gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, resulting in inflammation.
- You take medication, such as a blood thinner.
- You are far too aggressive when brushing your teeth, or your toothbrush bristles are too stiff.
- You are also too aggressive with your flossing, also irritates the gums.
- Hormones change during pregnancy, causing your gums to be inflamed and bleed.
- Your dentures fit poorly, and the rubbing is causing bleeding.
- You have imperfectly placed dental restorations.
- You have a deficiency in either vitamin K or vitamin C.
- You have a lack of platelets, or clotting cells.
- You are diabetic or have leukemia.
How to Treat Your Bleeding Gums
If your gums are bleeding for more than a week, you should schedule a dental examination to identify the cause. Sometimes the gum bleeding problem can be easily addressed at home with simply mouthwash or a saltwater rinse. But the most common and primary cause of bleeding gums is gum disease. Over half of American adults over the age of thirty have had some level of gum disease. Your dental team will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums, take X-rays, and determine the actual source of your problem. If it is gum disease, the treatment is straightforward. Gum disease is the immediate result of plaque and tartar collecting on the enamel surface of your teeth. This plaque contains bacteria that infect the soft gum tissue as soon as it comes in contact. With thorough and professional teeth cleaning, the dental team removes the plaque with a hand scaler or ultrasonic device, therefore removing the source of the infection. In a few days, your gums will heal, the swelling will subside, the bleeding will stop, and the color will return to a natural pink.
Your dentist will treat you if the source of your gum bleeding is something else. Lab work identifies any health deficiencies. They will also identify if the cause is from your aggressive brushing or flossing incorrectly. If you have any signs of bleeding gums, please schedule a dental examination soon.