When Should I Be Concerned with Bleeding Gums?

Bleeding gums can be a sign of improper techniques when brushing or flossing, but they may also be a sign of serious health conditions.

Dental Care Techniques

Brushing and flossing regularly is critical in keeping your teeth clean. Depending on your technique, however, your attempts to keep your teeth clean can cause your gums to bleed.

  1. Vigorously brushing your teeth can lead to damaging the delicate tissues that make up your gums. A gentle, circular motion is recommended to clean both your teeth and gums while avoiding any gum damage. Whether you use a manual or electric toothbrush, opt for soft, nylon bristles that have blunted ends to also help prevent this.
  2. Aggressive flossing techniques can also lead to damaging the gum tissues, leading to bleeding gums. When flossing, carefully slide the floss up and down, following the curve of each tooth to avoid tissue damage. If you haven’t flossed in a while, you might experience bleeding gums regardless of how gentle you floss.
  3. Dentures that don’t fit well and faulty dental restorations can also lead to bleeding gums.

Health Conditions

Bleeding gums may help your dentist or primary caretaker identify serious health conditions.

  1. Gingivitis is a common, mild form of gum disease, caused by a buildup of plaque at your gum line. Gingivitis can be avoided with proper dental care practices and by visiting your dentist regularly.
  2. Periodontitis is a more severe version of gingivitis that damages the tissue and bone that support your teeth. Periodontitis can cause your teeth to loosen or separate, your breath to smell bad, your gums to become red and tender, change how your teeth fit together when you bite, and leave a bad taste in your mouth. If not treated, Periodontitis can cause you to lose some of your teeth.
  3. Bleeding gums can be a warning sign of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. With diabetes, your body isn’t as effective at fighting germs, leading to infection. High blood sugar levels seen in diabetes also make it harder for your gums to heal from infection.
  4. Leukemia could be another cause for bleeding gums. Leukemia causes you to have a low level of blood platelets, which help stop your body from bleeding, including in your gums.
  5. Thrombocytopenia, Hemophilia, and von Willebrand Disease are all diseases that prevent your body from properly forming blood clots, which help stop your gums from bleeding.
  6. Vitamin deficiency in vitamins C and K can lead to swollen and bleeding gums. A severe deficiency in vitamin C can even lead to scurvy.

Other Causes

Bleeding gums may also be caused by life choices such as tobacco usage, whether it’s using cigarettes or other tobacco products. People who smoke are far more likely to develop gum disease.

There are other conditions that may cause bleeding gums, such as canker sores. While researchers don’t know the cause of canker sores, they can lead to painful, bleeding gums wherever they show up. Many people undergoing chemotherapy treatment experience stomatitis, which causes a similarly painful mouth sore to appear on the gums and throughout the mouth. In addition, some women may experience gum problems during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. These rises in hormones can heighten blood flow to the gums, making them red, swollen, and sensitive.

If your gums are bleeding, reach out today for support.

Related Article: Are Bleeding Gums Serious?