Why Do My Gums Bleed When I Brush My Teeth? Plaque accumulation causes bleeding gums. Plaque comprises microorganisms that destroy tooth tissue. This causes swollen, irritated gums. This can induce gum disease’s first stage, gingivitis. Bellevue gingivitis is reversible, thankfully. Premier Periodontics examines gums and offers periodontal cleanings to restore mouth health.
Why Do My Gums Bleed When I Brush My Teeth?
Plaque buildup along the gum line is frequently to blame for bleeding gums. Bacteria in plaque can destroy the healthy tissues surrounding your teeth. Your gums will swell up and itch if this accumulates.
This could result in bleeding and the beginning stages of periodontal disease, gingivitis. Fortunately, gingivitis in Bellevue, Washington, is curable. To restore your dental health, Premier Periodontics can inspect your gums and provide periodontal cleanings, which completely clean both your teeth and gums.
Causes of bleeding gums
The cause of red, sore, or bleeding gums might vary. Gingivitis is the most typical cause. Gum bleeding can also be brought on by vitamin deficits, including vitamin C deficiencies. To aid in the fight against this gum infection, up your consumption of red peppers, oranges, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Never disregard gum bleeding.
Gum disease can progress to subsequent stages of periodontal disease, which call for more intensive therapy if it is not treated. Regular visits to Premier Periodontics are necessary to prevent gum disease from progressing and to learn how to stop bleeding gums.
Diseases Associated with Bleeding Gums
Why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth? is a question that people occasionally have, even after visiting the dentist and receiving a clean bill of ■■■■ health and technique. It’s crucial to consult your primary care physician to learn more at that moment.
While gum disease is frequently the source of bleeding gums, the condition can also be a sign of other illnesses and health issues. If you have teeth and gums that are healthy yet still suffer bleeding gums during brushing, ask your doctor about the following:
• Diabetes: Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is characterized by bleeding and swollen gums. Additionally, because diabetes impairs your resistance to infection, those who have it are more vulnerable to gum disease.
• Hemophilia: This blood-clotting disorder can result in severe bleeding from even minor incisions or routine dental work, in addition to bleeding gums.
• Vitamin C deficiency: Vitamin C is necessary for your body to develop, repair, and maintain healthy bones and teeth. Your gums can’t recover correctly if you don’t get enough vitamin C. Gum bleeding is typical of severe vitamin C deficiency (also known as scurvy).
• Inadequate vitamin K: If your gums are bleeding frequently, you may not be getting enough vitamin K. This vitamin deficiency may affect how well your blood clots.
• Leukemia: Leukemia reduces the number of blood platelets in the body, which makes it more difficult for the blood to clot properly. You may become more vulnerable to persistent bleeding, including in your gums, as a result.
• Thrombocytopenia: This disorder prevents your body from producing enough platelets to help your blood clot, which leads to excessive bleeding throughout your body, including in your gums.
Ways to Stop Bleeding Gums
1. Maintain proper ■■■■ hygiene
Gum bleeding could be an indication of bad dental hygiene. When there is a build of plaque along the gum line, the gums swell and bleed. The bacteria-filled sticky film that coats your teeth and gums is called plaque. Additionally, if you don’t brush or floss frequently enough, the germs might grow and lead to gum disease or tooth decay.
Wash your teeth at least twice a day and floss once a day to improve your ■■■■ hygiene. Here are some more pointers for maintaining good ■■■■ health. For pregnant women, maintaining good ■■■■ hygiene is extremely crucial. Pregnancy-related hormonal changes might also result in gingivitis and bleeding gums.
2. Use hydrogen peroxide mouthwash
Hydrogen peroxide can be kept on hand for use as a disinfectant. It turns out that it can also halt gum bleeding, support healthy gums, and remove plaque. After brushing, rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide if your gums are bleeding; do not consume the solution.
Gum inflammation known as gingivitis can result in bleeding, swelling, and receding gums. A mouth rinse containing hydrogen peroxide was administered to some of the 99 participants in a trial to determine how well it reduced gingivitis and whitened teeth. According to the study, those who washed with hydrogen peroxide experienced less gum irritation than those in the control group.
3. Quit smoking
Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke. It also raises the chance of gum disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Trusted Source), smoking is a significant contributor to serious gum disease in the United States.
Smoking can impair immunity, which makes it more difficult for the immune system to fight off plaque bacteria. Gum disease can result from this. Your gums can mend and stop bleeding if you stop smoking. Consult your doctor for advice on how to stop smoking.
4. Reduce stress level
According to a reliable source, mental stress and periodontal disease are related. The immune system is adversely affected by mental stress, claim the researchers. This could weaken the body’s natural defenses to the point where they are unable to combat a gum infection. To ascertain the level of stress that can cause this disease to start, more investigation is necessary.
It is thought that some people may ignore their ■■■■ health as a result of emotional stress, which can lead to the buildup of plaque. Find out what you can do to reduce your stress.
5. Increase your vitamin C intake
Vitamin C-rich meals can boost your immune system and assist in the battle against gum diseases that lead to bleeding gums. On the other hand, if you have gum disease, not obtaining enough vitamin C in your diet may make bleeding worse. Even if you have decent ■■■■ hygiene habits, a vitamin C deficit can cause gum bleeding.
6. Increase your vitamin K intake
Additionally, taking a vitamin K pill may stop your gums from bleeding. Because it aids in the clotting of your blood, vitamin K is a crucial nutrient. One study indicated that a deficit may result in gum bleeding and might easily lead to hemorrhage.
7. Use a cool cloth
Gum disease is not usually the cause of bleeding gums. Additionally, trauma or an infection to the gum tissue may cause your gums to bleed. Applying a cold compress to the gum line helps lessen swelling and stop bleeding by limiting blood flow. Several times per day, for a total of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off, place an ice pack or a cold cloth against your gums.
8. Consume fewer carbs
Lowering your carbohydrate intake may also help your gums stay healthy and ward against gum disease, according to research from ResearchTrusted Source. Plaque and bacterial growth are encouraged by diets high in carbohydrates and sugar. You are more prone to developing bleeding gums the more plaque there is on your gums.
Even though regular tooth brushing and flossing can lessen this buildup, restricting carbohydrates helps to avoid plaque development.
9. Sip some green tea
Daily consumption of green tea may potentially cure periodontal disease and halt gum bleeding. The natural antioxidant catechin found in green tea can reduce the body’s inflammatory reaction to ■■■■ microorganisms.
Green tea was found to be useful in enhancing periodontal health according to a study by Trusted Source of 940 men. Before and following the consumption of green tea, participants’ periodontal pockets were measured, along with any gum tissue loss and instances of gum bleeding. According to the findings, a person’s periodontal health improves with the amount of green tea they consume.
10. Use salt water to rinse your mouth.
Frequently washing your mouth with a solution of warm salt water and water may also help reduce germs and halt gum bleeding because gum disease is brought on by inflammation and bacteria in the mouth.
Three to four times per day, rinse your mouth with warm water that has been mixed with half a teaspoon of salt. Washing with a saltwater solution can help prevent wound infections and keep your mouth healthy if bleeding is the result of an injury or trauma.
Summary:
If your gums are bleeding frequently, you may not be getting enough vitamin K. Smoking can impair immunity, which makes it more difficult for the immune system to fight.
Reason for gum bleeding:
1. You’re brushing and/or flossing excessively
Maintaining a healthy mouth requires daily flossing and twice-day brushing. However, brushing your teeth and gums vigorously might harm your gums and erode the gumline. If left untreated, receding gums might eventually result in tooth loss because they are characterized by discomfort and bleeding.
Solution: The American Dental Association advises using non-abrasive toothpaste and a toothbrush with a soft bristle. To avoid harming your gums, always use little pressure when brushing and flossing.
2. Gum disease affects you
When you brush or floss, your gums should not bleed easily. This is a sign of periodontal disease. Where your gums touch the base of your teeth, gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, causes redness, swelling, and discomfort. Periodontitis, a more serious kind of gum disease that affects the depth of soft tissue and can harm your teeth and bones, can develop from gingivitis.
Solution: Your dentist will advise the right plan of action to cure your gum disease following a thorough ■■■■ examination. You might need surgical procedures, scaling and root planning, or professional cleaning according to the infection’s location and severity.
Poor ■■■■ hygiene practices are the main cause of gum disease, so make sure you follow the prescribed schedule for brushing and flossing regularly.
3. Your tooth is infected
The dental pulp, which is a part of your tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves, can become infected when a cavity or fracture in your tooth is left untreated. This level of infection has the potential to enlarge the tooth root, resulting in sensitive, inflammatory gums. In addition to causing bleeding, brushing and flossing near the affected area may also be excruciatingly painful.
Your dentist may drain the region or conduct a root canal to cure an abscessed tooth and save the tooth at the same time. However, in severe cases, the tooth must be pulled to entirely cure the infection.
4. Your partials or dentures don’t fit correctly
You should be able to eat, speak, and smile without difficulty when wearing dentures. But as your jaw loses bone over time, your mouth will change shape and your once-comfortable dentures will no longer fit properly. Ignoring these symptoms might result in long-term health problems including mouth ulcers or infections. Improperly placed dentures can hurt your gums, causing pain, discomfort, and bleeding.
Solution: Take into account dental implants to stop further jawbone thinning. Your jawbone receives the stimulation it needs to sustain its density because dental implants have a structure that is similar to the root of a natural tooth. Dental implants, as opposed to dentures, also stop gums from receding, maintaining healthy gum tissues and supporting your natural teeth that are already there.
5. You suffer from a chronic medical ailment.
Gum bleeding can occasionally be brought on by factors unrelated to dental hygiene or health. For instance, you can bleed more readily when brushing your teeth if you’re on a blood thinner like warfarin or heparin.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy that lead to inflammation and occasionally pregnancy-related gingivitis might cause bleeding gums in pregnant women. Additionally, some vitamin shortages might impair your body’s capacity to repair and result in the weak gum tissue.
Solution: Make sure your diet is nutritious and contains lots of vitamin C. Additionally, schedule a visit with your doctor for a thorough physical examination if you have any concerns about whether your gums are bleeding as a result of an underlying medical disease.
Treatment of bleeding gums
The first step in treating bleeding gums is practicing good ■■■■ hygiene. To get your teeth professionally cleaned, see the dentist twice a year. Utilizing our Healthline FindCare service, you may make a dental appointment with a professional in your neighborhood.
Your dentist will inform you whether you have gingivitis and instruct you on how to properly brush your teeth. Plaque can be removed from your gum line and your chance of acquiring periodontal disease can be decreased by brushing and flossing properly.
To reduce plaque buildup in your mouth, your dentist might also demonstrate how to use an antimicrobial mouthwash. Additionally, a warm salt water treatment can aid to calm swollen, readily breedable gums. Apply a gentle toothbrush. Particularly if you feel bleeding after brushing your teeth, it will be mild on swollen gums. For your delicate gums, medium-hard brushes may be too harsh.
Summary:
Pregnancy-related hormonal changes might also result in gingivitis and bleeding gums. Mental stress and periodontal disease are related. Mental stress can weaken the body’s natural defenses to the point where they are unable to combat a gum infection.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Following are some of the important questions:
1: Will bleeding gums go away?
If you properly floss every day for three to ten days, the bleeding should stop unless you have gum disease. Consult your periodontist for assistance if the bleeding continues.
2: What condition do bleeding gums indicate?
The accumulation of debris at the gum line is the primary cause of bleeding gums. Inflamed gums, often known as gingivitis, will result from this. Tartar will form if plaque is not eliminated. Increased bleeding and periodontitis, a more severe form of gum and jaw bone disease, will result from this.
3: Is gingivitis treatable?
The great news is that gingivitis can be treated with basic ■■■■ hygiene since it is the first stage of gum disease. Additionally, it’s essential that you schedule regular dental cleanings so that you can get rid of plaque and tartar accumulation.
4: When should I be worried if my gums are bleeding?
If the bleeding gums keep getting worse, you should be worried. Visit your dentist as soon as possible if the bleeding persists despite regular mouth hygiene. By doing this, your dentist will be capable of treating any early signs of periodontal disease or gum disease before they worsen.
5: What is the duration of gingivitis?
In the majority of instances, gingivitis resolves within 10 to 14 days. It could take much longer to treat more severe gingivitis. Take control of your dental health to stop it from happening again.
6: How can I stop gum bleeding naturally?
Utilize salt water to rinse your mouth. Frequently washing your mouth with a solution of warm salt water and water may also help reduce germs and halt gum bleeding because gum disease is brought on by inflammation and bacteria in the mouth.
7: How can I naturally stop my gums from bleeding?
Take a small Tupperware container, then combine salt and baking soda 50/50, advises Zunka. Then massage your gums and clean your teeth after dipping your toothbrush into the hydrogen peroxide.
8: How long before periodontitis develops from gingivitis?
The symptoms of widespread gingivitis start to show after two to three weeks. If you continue to ignore this, it will develop into a mild case of periodontal disease. Your gums will now begin to recede, or pull away from, your teeth.
9: How do dentists handle periodontal disease?
Antibiotics can be used topically or ■■■■■■ to treat bacterial infections. Topical antibiotics include antibiotic mouthwashes and antibiotic gels that are inserted into pockets or the gap between your teeth and gums following extensive cleaning.
10: What hue are gums in good health?
Rather than being red and swollen, healthy gums should be pink and firm. Good ■■■■ hygiene should be used to maintain healthy gums. At least twice daily tooth brushing, daily flossing, daily use of an antiseptic mouthwash, twice daily dental visits, and abstinence from chewing or smoking tobacco are all recommended.
Conclusion:
Premier Periodontics in Bellevue, Washington, can inspect your gums and provide periodontal cleanings. Gum bleeding is typical of severe and blood-clotting disorder, Hemophilia. Bleeding gums can also be a sign of other illnesses and health issues. If your gums are bleeding frequently, you may not be getting enough vitamin K. Smoking can impair immunity, which makes it more difficult for the immune system to fight.