Whenever you see bleeding gums know it is often a sign of gum disease. However, apart from gum diseases, there are other factors that can cause your gums to bleed e.g.
- Vigorous brushing of teeth.
- Teeth Flossing
- Poor oral Hygiene
- Wearing dentures that don’t fit correctly
Gums bleeding heavily or a lot may be a symptom of a serious underlying condition. If you have persistent bleeding gums or spontaneous bleeding gums, then you should make a point of seeing a dentist or oral surgeon.
Why do Your gums bleed?
Some of the serious conditions that make gums bleed include:
- Gingivitis
- Periodontitis
- Cancer of the blood(Leukemia)
- Lack of platelets( clotting cells)
- Vitamins deficiency in the body.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis which is commonly known as the inflammation of the gums is one of the common cause of gum pain, tenderness and bleeding.
When plaque stays on the gums for long, bacterias form leading to gingivitis.
Periodontitis
Advancement of gingivitis leads to a condition called periodontitis or Periodontal disease.
Your gums, jawbone, and tissues get infected causing your gums to bleed or tooth to be pulled out.
Cancer of the blood (Leukemia)
Leukemia or cancer of the cells is a disease that affects your white blood cells which are in charge of your immune system.
Your gums may be then attacked by bacterias due to weakened immune making them bleed.
Lack of platelets ( clotting cells)
Platelets are in charge of clotting of blood. When you have low platelets count, you may experience frequent gum bleeding or your gums may have severe bleeding.
Vitamins deficiency in the body.
Lastly, if you lack vitamins C and K in your body, you may have bleeding gums during teeth brushing.
However, vitamins deficiency is not so much common to bleeding gums.
What to do if your gums are bleeding?.
Treatment of Bleeding Gums
If your gums are bleeding, don’t get tense. There are measures that you can take to treat bleeding gums.
The first step towards treating and managing your bleeding gums is by keeping good oral hygiene.
You should learn to brush and floss your teeth properly to avoid the formation of plaque that may lead to gum diseases.
Avoid using a hard brush and brush your teeth softly not to injure your gums leading to gingivitis.
Use antiseptic mouthwash at least once or twice a day to rinse your mouth after meals.
Visit your dentist or oral surgeon for at least twice a year for professional cleaning of teeth.
