Why gums bleed and what to do about it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Bleeding gums cannot be ignored. It can be a symptom of serious health problems and a harbinger of tooth loss.

Why do gums bleed?

The teeth only seem to be strong, and the gums - reliable. In fact, they have quite a few enemies, any of which can cause problems with the oral cavity. Here are the most common causes of bleeding gums:

1. Dental calculus … If plaque is not removed regularly, including with the help of a dentist, day after day it will become thicker and harder and one day it will turn into full-fledged tartar. The bacteria living in it are the main cause of gingivitis. And bleeding when brushing your teeth or using dental floss is the first symptom of this disease.
2. Brushing your teeth too vigorously … A brush with an unsuitable hardness or, for example, inaccurate flossing can damage the gums and cause slight bleeding. By the way, an infection can be introduced through such a scratch, which will provoke the further appearance of pink foam.
3. Vitamin deficiency … Vitamins affect the state of blood vessels (the strength of their walls) and blood clotting. In some cases, with a lack of vitamins, the vascular walls become thinner, and therefore bleeding can cause any, even a slight effect on the tooth or gum. Fortunately, with good nutrition, you are unlikely to encounter such a problem.
4. Diabetes (pre-diabetic conditions). This hormonal disorder, among other things, makes the gums less resistant to infections. Therefore, diabetics need to be very careful about oral hygiene.
5. Being pregnant or taking certain hormonal contraceptives … Changes in the hormonal levels of Estrogen and progestin again affect the condition of the gum tissue: it swells more easily, becomes looser and, as a result, less resistant to damage.
6. Excessively rigid installation of prostheses … Dental prostheses are one of the most common causes of gingivitis. If you have any orthopedic construction in your mouth, hygiene procedures should be especially thorough and regular.
7. Internal diseases … Blood on a toothbrush can be a symptom of a much more unpleasant ailment than gingivitis. In particular, this is how blood clotting disorders, gastritis, cirrhosis of the liver and even HIV manifest themselves. But we hope this is not your case.

Is it possible not to pay attention to bleeding gums

No. Even if you are 100% sure that you do not have truly unpleasant internal disturbances, pink foam should not be ignored.

First, gingivitis is insidious. Although gums can be swollen, red, and bleed easily when brushing your teeth, they usually do not hurt, and therefore gingivitis is not perceived as serious. In the meantime, bacteria-induced inflammation develops, causing persistent bad breath, and then progresses to the more complex form of periodontitis. And this is already an inflammation of the periodontium - the gum tissue that directly holds the tooth. The damaged gums recede, the teeth begin to loosen, and then fall out.

Second, bacteria in the mouth multiply and can enter the bloodstream. From where they attack not only the oral cavity, but also the internal organs. Digestive disorders, increased risk of stroke or heart attack, troubles with the pancreas - do you need it?

How to treat bleeding gums

The best option is to take the jaw to the dentist. This medic is skilled enough to quickly figure out why the gums are bleeding.

If the problem is purely dental in nature, the dentist will clean the oral cavity, correct the position of the dentures (if any), tell you how to relieve inflammation and what kind of toothbrush and toothpaste you should use.

If vitamin deficiency is to blame, a specialist will recommend the most effective (taking into account age, gender, stress) vitamin supplement, which will improve not only the teeth, but also the body as a whole.

If hormonal causes and internal diseases are suspected, the dentist will send for a consultation to a therapist, and he will give a referral for all the necessary tests and examinations.

What can be done right now

Eat ice cream or drink cold water. The cold will constrict blood vessels, reduce the rate at which a possible infection can spread, and is more likely to stop bleeding. You can apply a gauze pad dipped in ice water to your gums.

You can also try rinsing your mouth with dental rinse or applying dental gel to your gums.

Do not use alcohol and saline solutions: with inflammation of the gums, they only worsen the condition.

But be careful with grandma's funds! Dentists joke darkly that folk recipes are a great way to temporarily relieve symptoms and make the problem worse. For example, the popular rinsing with chamomile or eucalyptus at first will help get rid of bleeding due to tannins. But in the future, the same tannins will accelerate the deposition of tartar with all the ensuing consequences.

How to stop bleeding gums

Do Gum Disease Prevention:

1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day. The brush should be medium hard or soft.
2. Visit your dentist every six months and follow their recommendations.
3. Balance your diet and cut back on sugar.
4. Stop drinking and smoking. Tobacco and alcohol additionally irritate the oral mucosa and reduce local immunity, which means that the gums may bleed more often than we would like.