Table of Contents
What Causes Bleeding Gums?
Have you ever seen gum bleeding during tooth brushing or red blood spot on apple bite? This is a most common oral problems found in middle age groups. Though bleeding gum not a serious condition, but it should not be neglected. This may converted into serous gum problems.
Bleeding gums can be caused due to the following factors:
1. Dental (oral) conditions that can cause bleeding gums
Gum infection
Poor oral care is the primary cause of bleeding gums gingival infection. Infect 90% cases of bleeding gum is due to gum infection
Most people develop gum infection when plaque sticks to gum lines too long period of time. Plaque is transparent sticky substance having debris and bacteria
Brushing your teeth removes plaque and can prevent you from developing cavities (dental caries) and gum infection. But plaque may stay on your gum line, if you don’t brush and floss properly.
If plaque isn’t removed it turns into hard tartar (calculus) because of mineral deposition in plaque and ones calculus is form, it difficult to remove with brushing only. The accumulation of bacterial in plaque and calculus near your gums can cause gum infection
In Initial stage of gum disease person may experience puffy gums, swallowed gum /gum swelling, bleeding gums
Untreated gum infection progress in to jaw bone called a periodontal disease (periodontitis)
Advance gum disease create more serious problem like your jaw bone get eroded due to continuous bacterial infection and your tooth become loose or mobile eventually fallen out. You will also experience bad breath, altered taste, and pus around the gums. And teeth sensitivity in advance stage of gum disease
Initial gum infection can be treated with simple home remedy of bleeding gum
Advance gum disease you have to visit dentist for oral examination dentist may suggest for tartar cleaning (teeth cleaning) or advance periodontal therapy like flap surgery
Ill-fitting denture or oral appliance
People who wear dentures also may sometimes experience bleeding gums. This is more likely when dentures fit too tightly and gum gets injured by denture, especially in new denture. Some may experience oral ulcer
Talk to your dentist if dentures or other oral appliances are causing your gums to bleed. Dentist will adjust your denture or appliance,
Hard brushing
Occasional bleeding of the gums can be caused by brushing your teeth too vigorously; many people try to do hard brushing for whitening of teeth.
They fail to understand that hard brushing not only damage your gum but abrade your teeth and create another problem like tooth sensitive
Gentle tooth brushing is very important to maintain our oral health
Oral cancer
Early signs of mouth cancer may be mistaken for other problems, such as a toothache or normal oral ulcer. If symptoms persist for several weeks or months, it is important to see your doctor so that, if oral cancer is present, it may be diagnosed as soon as possible.
Usually long standing painless ulcer is may bleed but not obvious as other condition
2. General conditions that can cause bleeding gums
Bleeding gums are the most common symptom of gum disease. But it can also point to other health problems.
Vitamin deficiencies
Vitamin C and vitamin K deficiencies can also cause gums to bleed easily.
These two vitamins are import for gum health and protect from bacterial gum infection
Take diet with rich source of vit-c(citrus fruits and juices, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes) and vit –k(kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage)
Pregnancy
Pregnancy commonly causes of gum bleeding in younger women
Some women get swollen and sore gums, which may bleed, during pregnancy. Bleeding gums are caused by a build-up of plaque on the teeth.
The Cause of Bleeding Gums during Pregnancy is Hormonal changes especially progesterone and oestrogen level is increase.
This makes your gums more vulnerable to plaque, leading to inflammation and bleeding. This is also called pregnancy gingivitis or gum disease.
It’s very important to maintain good oral care during pregnancy. The best way to prevent or deal with gum problems is to practise good oral hygiene.
Visit your dentist so that dentists can evaluate your oral health and do necessary treatment that will prevent uneventful gum problem during pregnancy
Bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders are a group of disease that share the inability to form a proper blood clot. They are characterized by extended bleeding after injury, surgery, trauma or menstruation
Disorders like haemophilia 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.
Of course for that matter you have to visit your physician or dentist and discuss your problems. A physical examination and blood test can help determine the cause of your bleeding.
lack of clotting cells (platelets)-Low platetes count will eventually may cause some bleeding problem certain condition like some viral infection may decrease platelet your count. But this condition usually temporary
Bottom line
While bleeding gums are the most common symptom of dental issues, other issues might be the cause.
Good dental hygiene is the first step to managing bleeding gums. You can try out some home remedy for bleeding gum for initial infection
Visit your dentist twice per year for professional cleaning. Your dentist will let you know if you have gum infection 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 gum disease.