What You Need to Know About Bleeding Gums

By: Smileway Dental

What are bleeding gums?

Bleeding gums are the most common symptom of gum disease, caused by dental plaque and tartar.

Occasional bleeding of the gums can be caused by brushing your teeth too vigorously or wearing dentures that don’t fit correctly. Frequent gum bleeding can also indicate more serious conditions, including:

  1. Periodontitis (an advanced form of gum disease)
  2. Leukemia (cancer of the blood)
  3. Pregnancy
  4. Blood thinning medications

Primary cause of bleeding gums

 

Gingivitis

  • Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis make your gums sensitive and prone to bleeding.
  • Most people develop gingivitis when plaque stays on gum lines too long. Plaque refers to the debris and bacteria that stick to your teeth.
  • Brushing your teeth removes plaque and can prevent you from developing cavities (dental caries). But plaque may stay on your gum line, if you don’t brush and floss properly.
  • If plaque isn’t removed it can harden into tartar (calculus), which will increase bleeding. The accumulation of plaque near your gums can also cause gingivitis.

Periodontitis

Periodontal disease (periodontitis) can occur when gingivitis becomes advanced. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums, jawbone, and supportive tissues that connect your teeth and gums. Periodontitis can cause your teeth to loosen or fall out.

Other Causes of bleeding gums

  1. People who wear dentures also may sometimes experience bleeding gums. This is more likely when dentures fit too tightly.Talk to your dentist or orthodontist if dentures or other oral appliances are causing your gums to bleed. They may need to take new impressions to create a better fitting denture.
  2. Pregnancy commonly causes gum bleeding. Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can cause the gums to be more sensitive.
  3. Bleeding disorders like hemophilia and leukemia can also increase your risk of bleeding gums. Your gums might bleed more often if you take blood-thinning medications. Drugs in this class include warfarin, aspirin, and heparin.

Treatment of bleeding gums

  1. Good dental hygiene is the first step to managing bleeding gums.
  2. Visit your dentist twice per year for professional cleaning. Your dentist will let you know if you have gingivitis and teach you how to brush your teeth properly. Proper brushing and flossing can remove plaque from your gum line and reduce your risk of developing periodontal disease.
  3. Your dentist may also show you how to use an antiseptic mouthwash to minimize plaque that forms in your mouth. And a rinse of warm salt water can help soothe swollen gums that bleed easily.
  4. Use a soft toothbrush. It’ll be gentle on inflamed gums, especially if you experience bleeding after brushing your teeth. Medium and hard bristles may be too abrasive for your delicate gums.
  5. You might also consider using an electric toothbrush. The specially designed brush heads on these toothbrushes can help you to clean your gum line more easily than a manual toothbrush.

These are some of the steps you can take to have a stronger and healthier tooth. After all, we all want to make sure we are problem free and we can enjoy our life and food for many years. In Smileway Dental Clinic USJ and Smileway Dental Clinic Setapak we take care of your smile because we believe in “Creating Smiles That Matters” in your life. Take care everyone.

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Ong sook yan
Ong sook yan
2023-07-14
Always my trusted place for dental treatment, great staff and doctor
Chuan Jin
Chuan Jin
2023-07-14
Good service and friendly dental
Wei Leng Chew
Wei Leng Chew
2023-07-13
Dr. Edwin & his staff are very friiendly & helpful. The overall environment is clean & comfortable.
Jin J
Jin J
2023-07-13
Friendly staffs. and helpful doctor. Went for scaling and polishing. Done by Dr. Lisa. Thank you.
Julian Leong
Julian Leong
2023-07-13
all Dr and nurses is very friendly and nice, environment is very nice will introduce friends to come ☺️
ming
ming
2023-07-12
Great service and nice environment 👍
MAS ABDUL RAHMAN
MAS ABDUL RAHMAN
2023-07-12
Very satisfied with the service. Polite & gentle dr Edwin and courteous staff. Friendly environment.
Clare Felicity Chan
Clare Felicity Chan
2023-07-12
Dr Jon Low is v professional n experienced in his field. Receptionist n nurses are friendly. Only reservation are the flight of staircase to climb for elderly n physically challenged clients.
Nor Hafiza
Nor Hafiza
2023-07-11
The best dental clinic at USJ.. Friendly and beautiful nurses. Will go again..
Kian Hong Ong
Kian Hong Ong
2023-07-11
Staff and Dr are good and friendly, been treatment here with Dr Lisa here , very recommended 👍👍👍 Dr Lisa do very soft and good

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