When Should I Be Concerned with Bleeding Gums?
Bleeding gums are a common issue among adults and any number of reasons may cause a patient to experience bleeding gums. The number one reason for bleeding gums is gum disease, but there are a number of other factors that can promote bleeding gums including:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Overly aggressive brushing
- Improperly flossing or not flossing at all
- A newly incorporated flossing routine
- Underlying medical conditions
If a patient practices regular brushing and flossing, they can cause additional damage to gum tissue if not done properly. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush and using a circular motion. A toothbrush that is too stiff can cause damage to the enamel and irritate the gum tissue and can cause bleeding.
Flossing is crucial to your overall oral health but must be performed correctly. If you need help with your flossing technique, your dental hygienist will help you. It is important to be gentle when you floss and brush, to avoid cutting your gum tissue and causing them to bleed.
Gum Disease and Bleeding Gums
Gum disease progresses in stages: the first stage of gum disease is gingivitis which is the inflammation of the gum tissue; gingivitis can turn into early periodontitis which shows a slight loss of bone structure; then into moderate periodontitis, at which point more bone and gum tissue is destroyed and teeth may become loose; advanced periodontitis is the most severe stage of gum disease and the damage it causes is often irreversible.
Symptoms of gum disease become more severe with each stage, and in advanced periodontitis, teeth can become very loose and biting and chewing may hurt. Extensive dental treatment is typically required to try to correct the damage of advanced periodontitis.
What causes gum disease?
Poor oral hygiene is the number one cause of gum disease. Gum disease begins to develop when sticky plaque is allowed to accumulate over time and left to calcify into tartar. The bacteria and plaque that collect in the gum pockets cause irritation to the gum tissue, leading to red and puffy gums. Your gum tissue can begin to bleed upon brushing and flossing when gum disease is present or when you first begin a flossing routine. Bleeding at the start of a new flossing routine is totally normal and should resolve with continued flossing practices.
Simply improving your oral hygiene routine can relieve your gums from gingivitis and will typically undo any damage that has occurred but more progressed stages of gum disease will likely need treatment by a dental professional.
If I have bleeding gums, when should I see my Dentist?
Sometimes patients are able to control and reduce gum bleeding on their own but if it persists for more than a week or two, you need to consult your Dentist. If your Dentist finds your gum tissue to be infected, they may recommend that you undergo a scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) procedure to remove the tartar accumulation below the gum line. Severe gum disease may require treatment from a Periodontist in order to eradicate the infection.
If your Dentist finds that your gum tissue is healthy yet you are still experiencing bleeding gums, they may recommend a visit to your primary care physician in order to ensure there are no underlying medical conditions that could be contributing to gum bleeding.