Should I be worried?
The short, honest answer is …. yes you should.
Healthy gums should be able to withstand the pressures of brushing, flossing and interdental cleaning. If your gums are bleeding then they are most likely inflamed (which is why we call this condition gingivitis). Inflammed gums are weaker, more fragile and will bleed when agitated.
If you don’t do anything about them, then the situation can get worse and your gingivitis can progress to periodontitis which you may know as ‘gum disease’. When this happens, it’s not only your gums that become weak but the bone that sits underneath your gums starts to break down causing your teeth to become loose and eventually fall out.
What to do if you have bleeding gums
Improve your home care
To stop your gums from bleeding you need to have a good oral hygiene routine at home, even if you do see the hygienist regularly.
Use an electric toothbrush and know how to use it properly
Don’t let the bleeding put you off, the areas that are bleeding need to be cleaned more thoroughly
Use interdental brushes regularly (like these ones here), especially around teeth with fillings, crowns and veneers.
Get a check-up with a dentist
Your dentist will assess your gums and determine exactly what the cause of the bleeding is. They will gently feel your gums to see how strong they are and take any x-rays needed to assess the health of the bone underneath your gums.
Get your teeth cleaned by a hygienist
Plaque, the bacteria that builds up around your teeth over time can harden and stick to your teeth. This is known as calculus and commonly forms around your bottom front teeth. You won’t be able to clean this off with a toothbrush so the hygienist will use a scaler to remove any calculus building up around your teeth as this can irritate the gums. If you do have periodontitis, your dentist/hygienist may recommend ‘deep cleaning’ and gum disease treatment under some local anaesthetic.
You should see the hygienist every 6 months (although your hygienist should recommend a more tailored recall period that suits you).
Other causes of bleeding gums
Fillings, crowns and veneers with rough edges
If your gums are bleeding in a specific spot where you have had previous dental work, there could be rough patches or gaps in the dental work. This needs to be addressed by a dentist and fixed by either replacing what is there or repairing the work that has been done.
Medications
Certain medications can cause gingivitis as a side effect. If you take a lot of medications or have started taking something new then this could be affecting your gums. Send your Nova dentist a message with a list of your medications and they may be able to advise you further, or speak with your GP.
Puberty, periods, pregnancy and menopause
When your body is going through hormonal changes it can affect the blood flow to your gums and cause bleeding. You just need to maintain really good oral hygiene during these times to keep it at bay or contact a dentist if you are struggling to manage it
If you have recently quit smoking
Smoking suppresses the blood flow to your gums so in effect it masks the bleeding that would be there. When people quit smoking they notice more bleeding from the gums. This is quite normal and it doesn’t mean that your gum health has gotten worse, it means you are now seeing your gums in their true form!