If your gums bleed when you clean your teeth, you might be tempted to dismiss it. However, this could signal a more serious issue. Recognizing the cause is crucial for choosing the right treatment.
Bleeding gums can result from factors such as brushing too hard, injuries, pregnancy, or inflammation.
Inflamed gums may become red, swollen, and tender, potentially indicating periodontal conditions like gingivitis or periodontitis. These issues often arise from insufficient plaque removal.
Knowing how to stop bleeding gums and how they can be treated can help you proactively address the problem and prevent future issues.
What Causes Bleeding Gums?
Dental-related causes include:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Smoking
- Gingivitis (early-stage gum disease)
- Periodontitis (moderate to advanced gum disease)
- Trench mouth (severe gum disease)
Other potential causes are:
- Diabetes
- Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause
- Vitamin K deficiency
- Vitamin C deficiency or scurvy (a severe form of vitamin C deficiency)
- Blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants)
- Hemophilia
- Oral herpes
- HIV/AIDS
- Stress
- Leukemia
How to Stop Bleeding Gums – 10 Simple Ways
How to Stop Bleeding Gums at Home
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Bleeding gums can often indicate inadequate dental care.
When plaque builds up along the gum line, it can cause gum inflammation and bleeding. Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria that coats your teeth and gums. If you don’t brush and floss properly, these bacteria can spread, resulting in tooth decay or gum disease.
To enhance your oral hygiene, brush your teeth at least twice every day and floss once daily.
Quit Smoking
Smoking has been linked to severe gum disease and other oral problems. It can impair your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight infections and plaque bacteria, increasing the likelihood of gum disease.
Consult your doctor for guidance on the most effective strategies to help you quit smoking.
Boost Your Vitamin C Intake
A deficiency in vitamin C can exacerbate bleeding gums, even if you maintain good oral hygiene. Insufficient vitamin C can cause gum bleeding regardless of your oral care routine.
Consuming foods high in vitamin C is another way you can learn how to stop bleeding gums. Vitamin C helps enhance your immune system. It can also assist in combating gum infections that lead to bleeding gums. It is a potent antioxidant that helps reinforce connective tissue and safeguard the gum lining.
Drink Green Tea
Regularly drinking green tea can help reverse periodontal disease and reduce bleeding gums. Green tea is rich in natural antioxidants that can decrease the body’s inflammatory response to oral bacteria.
Use a Salt Water Rinse
Since bacteria and inflammation contribute to gum disease, rinsing your mouth daily with warm salt water can help reduce bacteria and alleviate gum bleeding.
Mix half a teaspoon of salt with a glass of warm water. Swish it in your mouth for a few seconds three to four times daily. If the bleeding is due to an injury or trauma, this salt water rinse also helps keep your mouth clean and eliminates bacteria that might lead to infection.
How to Stop Bleeding Gums Through Professional Treatments
Dental Cleanings
Professional dental cleanings remove plaque and stubborn tartar buildup from teeth and gums. This helps reduce inflammation and bleeding and teaches you how to stop bleeding gums. This procedure typically involves scaling and polishing to improve overall gum health.
Scaling & Root Planing
This deep-cleaning treatment involves scraping away plaque and tartar from below the gum line (scaling) and smoothing the tooth roots (planing) to help gums reattach to the teeth and reduce bleeding.
Gum Graft Surgery
If gum recession has occurred, your dentist can perform a gum graft to restore lost gum tissue. This procedure involves taking tissue from another area of your mouth or using a graft material to cover exposed roots and improve gum health.
Antibiotic Treatments
Dentists may prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to treat gum infections and reduce inflammation. These treatments target bacterial infections that contribute to gum disease and bleeding.
Periodontal Maintenance
For patients with a history of gum disease, periodontal maintenance is key to knowing how to stop bleeding gums. It involves more frequent cleanings and monitoring to prevent recurrence. This ongoing care helps keep gum disease under control and stop your gums from bleeding.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you are unable to find out how to stop bleeding gums, you should contact your dentist in the following situations:
- Persistent Bleeding: If your gums bleed regularly during brushing, flossing, or spontaneously, the bleeding persists despite improving your oral hygiene.
- Severe Symptoms: When bleeding is accompanied by severe pain, swelling, redness, or if your gums appear to recede.
- Underlying Health Issues: If you have underlying health issues such as diabetes, hormonal changes, or a bleeding disorder that might contribute to gum problems.
- No Improvement: If you have tried at-home remedies and your symptoms have not improved or worsened, indicating a possible need for professional evaluation and treatment.
- Recent Trauma: If your gums bleed due to recent trauma or injury, and you’re concerned about potential damage or infection.
- New Symptoms: If you notice new or unusual symptoms, such as lumps or unusual growths in the gum area, which could indicate more serious issues.
Conclusion
Seeing blood in the sink while brushing your teeth can be concerning. Bleeding gums could indicate gum disease or other underlying health issues.
If your gums bleed unexpectedly or during brushing, it’s important to inform your dentist. They can advise you on the causes of your symptoms and suggest appropriate treatments to help resolve the issue.
Consult with dentists at Diamond Dental Implant & Cosmetic Dentistry and learn how to stop bleeding gums.
