What Your Bleeding Gums Are Trying to Tell You

Do your gums bleed after brushing or flossing? This is your body’s way of trying to tell you that there’s an issue with your oral health. It’s estimated that 35.7 million Americans are living with a bacterial infection of the gums. Here’s what you need to know about your bleeding gums, and how to get it to stop! 

Healthy Gums

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t focus as much on cleaning your gums as you do your teeth. However, this bad habit can significantly impact the health of your gums. If you don’t take care of your gums, it could compromise the health of your entire mouth. 

The effects of periodontal disease range from mild to severe. If left untreated, you could be more at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, pregnancy complications, and dementia. It’s important to take care of your teeth and gums. 

Signs of Gum Problems 

Are your gums darker than they once were? Do they bleed when you brush or floss? These are usually the first signs that a problem like gingivitis is happening. Many people get gingivitis, but if left untreated it could lead to more severe gum problems down the road. 

Gingivitis is a common yet mild form of periodontal (gum) disease. It causes redness, irritation, and swelling of your gums right around the gum line near the teeth. The most common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene. Mayo Clinic provides a full list of common symptoms of gingivitis. These include:

• Swollen or puffy gums
• Dusky red or dark red gums
• Gums that bleed easily when you brush or floss 
• Bad breath
• Receding gums
• Tender gums 

Gum Disease

When a person has an advanced form of gum disease, that’s called periodontitis. With this, the gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, making pockets where bacteria can build up and cause an infection. To have periodontitis treated, it usually takes multiple steps. Crest explains that treatment can include:

• Tooth scaling and root planing: during this procedure, your dental professional will scrape off the tartar that has built up on teeth both adobe and below the gum line (tooth scaling). After this step, the dentist will smooth rough spots on the tooth roots, making it more difficult for bacteria to collect and cause more plaque and tartar buildup. 
• Flap surgery: if the gum inflammation and pockets next to the teeth persist after a deep teeth-cleaning procedure, your dentist may recommend having a flap surgery. This is a common dental procedure that can treat periodontitis. During the procedure, the tartar is taken from the pockets. These pockets are then sealed with stitches, so the gum tissue once again sits close to the teeth like they’re supposed to. 
• Grafts: in severe cases of periodontitis where the bone and tissue are no longer healthy, you may need bone or tissue grafts to replace the infected tissue. Your graft may involve a technique called guided tissue regeneration, where a small piece of mesh is placed between the aw bone and gums to allow both bone and tissue to re-grow. This helps keep the gum tissue from expanding into the area where the bone should be. 
• Doxycycline: gel that contains doxycycline, which is an antibiotic, provides treatment by killing bacteria and shrinking the pockets. Further, there’s a doxycycline pill that can be prescribed in addition to tooth scaling and root planing. 

Other Gum Issues 

Gum disease often only has the symptoms we mentioned above, and not much more. If you’re experiencing abnormal symptoms, make an appointment to come see Dr. Varley. Noticing things like white spots on your gums could be normal if you are using bleaching agents, so be sure to only use enough to cover your teeth. Further, if you’re pregnant, you’re likely to experience changes with your gums because of your hormones and the increased blood supply throughout your body. Seeing your dentist is important while pregnant. 

Bleeding gums don’t always signify there’s a deeper issue, sometimes it just means you need to pay a little more attention during your brushing and flossing routine to get them properly cleaned. If you have questions about your gum health, call and ask us! 

Make an Appointment for Healthy Gums

If you want to have healthy gums, make an appointment at Stonebrook Family Dental. Dr. Varley will talk with you about what needs to be done to bring your mouth back to a healthy state. Our team will also guide you through how to properly brush and floss your teeth to keep your mouth healthy once you get home. Call now: (303)-872-7907.