Bleeding gums during brushing can be alarming, notably when it happens frequently. The most common causes of bleeding gum include dental plaque, and it is also a common sign of periodontitis, gingivitis, and other forms of gum disease. Bleeding during brushing can also occur due to other causes such as teeth grinding, hormonal changes, diabetes, and vitamin deficiencies. Further, this blog will drive you through the causes of bleeding gum, underlying gum diseases, and preventive tips.
What do bleeding gums mean?
We can say that bleeding during brushing is the primary sign of gingivitis or some other underlying gum issues. Also, the bleeding during brushing can be the result of health issues like hormone fluctuations, vitamin deficiencies, stress, or blood clotting disorders, in such cases consider visiting the Best Dental Doctor In Coimbatore to get the desired outcomes.
Simply, the bleeding during brushing may occur due to several reasons, most of the time, oral health-related problems cause it. At the same time, it can be a prompt sign of some other health diseases. Those dental causes include:
- Bad oral hygiene
- Gingivitis
- Periodontitis
- Trench mouth
- Smoking
Some other common issues include:
- Diabetes
- Changes in hormones during puberty, and pregnancy
- vitamin K deficiency
- Severe vitamin C deficiency
- Blood-thinning medications
- Thrombocytopenia
- Pernicious anemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Hemophilia
- Oral herpes
- HIV
- Leukemia
- Stress
Should I be worried about bleeding gums?
Don’t normalize bleeding of gums when brushing. Also, remember that occasional and mild bleeding may be the result of brushing too hard or using a hard-bristled toothbrush, but persistent and more frequent bleeding signals the underlying issue. The most common causes of bleeding gum include gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease caused by plaque buildup along the gum line. When overlooked, it can result in periodontitis, further leading to gum recession and even tooth loss. Also, other factors such as vitamin deficiencies, hormonal fluctuations, or a few medical conditions can contribute to bleeding during brushing. Follow good oral hygiene, use a soft-bristled toothbrush, floss daily, and frequently visit a dentist to prevent this condition.
What are the symptoms of bleeding gums?
Some signs of bleeding during brushing include:
- Experiencing bleeding of gums when flossing or brushing every day.
- An Individual’s gums may look red, inflamed, and tender to touch.
- Gum receding is a sign that gums pull back from the teeth, exposing more of the tooth surface. This increases the sensitivity.
- In severe gum diseases, individual teeth become unstable in their sockets. This will happen only when the disease affects the tissue that supports the teeth.
- Always feel a metallic taste in your mouth.
- Gums will become inflamed due to the frequent bleeding, and they also look smooth, shiny, and bright red due to more blood flow to the region.
- Affected gums will become soft, spongy, and swollen.
- Gums will recede between the teeth, referred to as black triangle disease, which signifies gum loss.
- In advanced cases, pus discharge will also occur, which causes abscesses in the gums.
- When the disease progresses, tooth alignment will be changed, causing teeth to drift out of position.
- When gums recede, tooth sensitivity will be increased.
How to prevent bleeding gums?
You can easily prevent bleeding gums by:
- Maintaining good oral hygiene: At least brush your teeth twice a day, and flossing daily can assist in removing plaque.
- Frequent checkups: Frequently book an appointment with your dentist for routine cleanings and check-ups every six months.
- Soft-bristled toothbrush: Use a brush with soft bristles to avoid irritation in your gums.
- Quit smoking: You will be at higher risk of gum disease in case you have the habit of smoking.
- Consume a balanced diet: Include more fruits and vegetables that are vitamin and mineral-rich, which enhances gum health.
- Stay hydrated: Drink more water to flush out food particles and bacteria.
- Manage stress: Follow stress-reduction techniques, because stress will negatively affect your oral health.
- Address underlying health issues: Diabetic patients should manage their condition and also check their hormonal fluctuations.
- Use antimicrobial mouthwash: Try using mouthwash that assists in reducing plaque and bacteria.
- Limit alcohol consumption: Consuming excess alcohol can disturb the gums and result in bleeding during brushing.
Is there any connection between bleeding gums and gum disease?
As we mentioned above, bleeding during brushing is the primary sign of gum-related issues like gingivitis. When overlooked, gingivitis will progress to periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease that will result in tooth loss and other complications. Further, let’s see how gum disease develops:
1) Gingivitis:
The common signs of gingivitis include red, swollen, and bleeding gums. Fortunately, it is reversible with proper oral care and professional cleaning.
2) Periodontitis:
The prompt signs of periodontitis include persistent bad breath, receding gums, loose teeth, and pus between gums and teeth. Consider reaching out to a dentist to prevent further damage.
3) Advanced periodontitis:
The common symptoms include severe gum recession, tooth loss, and bone loss. This condition requires surgical intervention.
What are the medical conditions that cause gum bleeding?
We can say that it is difficult to recognize the actual cause of bleeding gums, but it’s crucial to find the underlying medical condition to get the appropriate treatment. Further, let’s see some causes of bleeding gum:
- HIV infection: Typically, HIV will weaken the individuals and make them more susceptible to infections like dental problems. This condition can be confirmed only through blood tests.
- Anemia: Insufficient red blood cells will cause this condition. Pernicious anemia, which is connected with Vitamin B12 absorption problems, can also result in bleeding gums.
- Herpes infection: The herpes simplex virus will cause soreness and pain in the mouth, which also includes bleeding gums.
- Stress: Gum inflammation will be caused by high stress levels, making them more susceptible to bleeding. Stress will weaken your immune system and will result in blood clotting.
- Factor V deficiency: This is one of the bleeding disorders that causes gums to bleed, bruising, and nosebleeds.
- Vitamin deficiency: Insufficient vitamin C and K will make those weak gums bleed.
- Eating disorders: Bulimia and anorexia can lead to deficiencies that make the gums bleed.
What are the dental diseases that result in bleeding gums?
- Gingivitis: Gingivitis is gum swelling, often that will result in gum bleeding. When diagnosed earlier, it is treatable, and good oral hygiene can prevent gingivitis. Diabetes, using tobacco, and hormonal fluctuations will greatly increase the risk of this condition.
- Periodontitis: Often, periodontitis will develop when gingivitis is not treated properly, further, it also causes gum bleeding. This may lead to the loosening of gums around the teeth and cause bleeding.
- Bleeding gums during pregnancy: Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can result in soreness and gum inflammation, resulting in bleeding of gums. Sticking to good oral hygiene can assist, but it’s crucial to consult with a healthcare provider whenever your condition worsens.
- Ill-fitting dentures: Unevenly fitted dentures will disturb the gums, which may cause irritation and bleeding.
- Oral surgery: A few medical procedures, such as tooth extraction, will cause temporary bleeding in gums.
- Plaque buildup: Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria, saliva on teeth, and food debris. When it’s not properly cleaned by brushing or flossing, plaque hardens into tartar, which affects gums and makes them more susceptible to bleeding.
How to diagnose gum diseases?
Dentists will completely check your teeth to diagnose your gum diseases. All those tests will assist the doctor in accurately diagnosing gum diseases and identifying their severity. Simply, a prompt diagnosis will greatly assist in determining the proper treatment. Further, the diagnostic procedures include:
- Medical history: First, dentists will enquire about your signs, medications, and previous health conditions to identify the potential causes of bleeding gum.
- Dental examination: During this process, dentists will check for dental plaque, inflammation in gums, recession in gums, loose teeth, and some other symptoms of gum diseases.
- Gum probing: In this examination process, dentists will test gum pockets around your teeth using a periodontal probe to look for detachment from the tooth.
- Dental X-rays: The best dental doctor in Coimbatore will assess bone loss around your teeth and damage due to gum problems.
- Blood tests: These kinds of tests will assist in diagnosing blood disorders, vitamin deficiency, diabetes, and leukemia.
What are the treatment options available to treat gum bleeding?
Treatment for bleeding gums involves addressing the underlying problem. Further, let’s see some of the treatment options for bleeding gums.
- Professional cleaning: During this procedure, plaque and tartar deposits will be removed and will smoothen those rough tooth surfaces. Typically, this procedure will be performed once in 6 months.
- Scaling and root planning: This procedure involves deep cleaning of the plaque and tartar below the gum line and smooth root surfaces.
- Medications: Medications like antibacterial mouth rinses, antibiotic gels, or antibiotics are commonly suggested in treating gum infections and also treating the causes of bleeding gums.
- Gum treatments: Gum grafts and flap surgery will be suggested, based on the severity of your gum disease.
- Addressing underlying causes of bleeding gum: To manage gum bleeds, you can try managing diabetes, adjusting medications, and denture adjustments.
When to visit a dentist?
In case your gums bleed for more than two weeks, consider reaching out to the dentist for prompt evaluation, even if it improves with brushing and flossing. Treating swollen, bleeding gums in their early stages will greatly assist in avoiding complications such as tooth loss.
As we mentioned above, reaching out to a dentist immediately when gums bleed is significant. The dentists will accurately diagnose and initiate the treatment. This prevents your dental issues from further progression. Addressing issues on time will reduce complications and enhance outcomes. Further, let’s see how timely treatment helps in treating bleeding gums:
- Whenever there is chronic gum bleeding, which indicates gum disease, so you need to give proper attention and care.
- Avoiding the dental visit and waiting for the signs to resolve on their own will worsen the condition.
- Typically, gum diseases will destroy the tissues and those bones supporting the teeth. When overlooked, this will lead to tooth decay.
- Simply identifying the gum-related problems in its initial stages will make treatment easier.
- Doctors will check the persistent bleeding to find the underlying cause. Further, they can recommend a suitable treatment to control the condition.
Are there any home remedies for bleeding gums?
In the meantime, waiting for your dental appointment, you can try a few steps at home to get relief from your bleeding gums. Further, let’s see some home remedies:
- Gently brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush
- Floss daily
- Use mouthwash with an antibacterial formula
Adding vitamins C and K can assist in strengthening your gums. Try to consume more citrus fruits, leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, and soybeans. Also, avoid things that irritate gums, like:
- Sugary foods
- Dehydration
- Smoking
These remedies can assist only in soothing bleeding gums, so don’t delay seeing a dentist for an evaluation.
Final thoughts:
In conclusion, we can say that occasional or mild gum bleeding is completely normal. But frequent bleeding gums signal the underlying gum-related issues requiring medical treatment. Consider reaching out to a dentist to prevent complications such as disease progression and losing teeth, in case affected consider reaching out to the dentist to find the causes of bleeding gum and treat it effectively. So always remember to follow the proper routine to maintain gum health and retain your natural teeth. Simply by maintaining good oral hygiene, you can avoid issues such as loss of teeth, tooth decay, and bad breath.
