What to Do If Your Gums Are Bleeding

What to Do If Your Gums Are Bleeding

Gums Are Bleeding

At Dental Center of Simi Valley, Dr. Harmik Hartounian, and our team want you to know how important oral care is for your gum health. Because your gums do the work of supporting your pearly whites, you will want to keep them in tip-top shape!

But what if your gums are bleeding? What should you do? Today we would like to share a few tips with you for your gum health:

Diet

Limit your consumption of sugar and sugary drinks, and increase your intake of vegetables. When you do eat sugar, rinse well with water afterwards and brush your teeth to limit the exposure to your pearly whites.

Medication

Certain medications, such as blood thinners, can cause bleeding of the gums, and some medications can interfere with saliva flow by causing dry mouth, a condition which allows oral bacteria to thrive. Your doctor may switch medications or alter the dosage to help you.

Smoking

If you smoke, the toxins can actually interfere with your gum’s ability to receive nutrients and can cause inflammation. As the gums bleed, harmful bacteria which live along the gumline can enter the bloodstream via the ulcers in the gums and travel to your organs to cause inflammation.

Bacteria

Bleeding gums are actually contagious by spreading harmful amounts of bacteria. If you or your partner has a lot of oral bacteria, avoid sharing drinks, keep your toothbrushes from touching, and be aware that kissing will spread the bacteria and make you more susceptible to bleeding gums.

Hygiene

It is so important to brush your teeth at least twice daily. Using an electric toothbrush can massage the gums which increases nutrient absorption into the gums by stimulating blood flow. Floss at least once each day to remove dental plaque, a biofilm made of bacteria and waste products. If you have difficulty flossing, a water flosser may be a good investment to remove bacteria between the teeth. Keep up with routine maintenance by seeing your dentist regularly for dental cleanings to remove tartar (hardened plaque).

If your gums are bleeding and nothing has helped you, Dr. Harmik Hartounian may recommend more frequent dental cleanings, antibiotic treatment, scaling and root planing (deep cleanings), or gum surgery to help alleviate bleeding gums.

At Dental Center of Simi Valley, we can diagnose and treat gum disease before it becomes a serious problem. For more information, or to schedule a visit, please call Dental Center of Simi Valley in Simi Valley, California, at (805) 579-0600 today. We are happy to help you achieve your best oral health yet!

Posted August 5, 2016 Back to Blog