Gingiva is one of the most examined areas by dentists. While some of the patients apply with the complaint of bleeding gums for no reason, some of them state that they encounter bleeding gums while brushing their teeth. While bleeding may be a sign of a disease in your gums or bones, different factors can cause the same bleeding.
Understanding what your gum problems are caused by is the first step to reducing the discomfort you feel. In our guide content that we have prepared for you, we will first address the main causes and symptoms of bleeding gums. In the following sections of our content, we will talk about treatment options and what you can do at home.
What is Bleeding Gums?
Bleeding gums is not a problem that occurs on its own. It is usually a symptom of gingivitis or a more serious gum problem. Every person encounters the problem of bleeding gums from time to time. This small amount of bleeding usually occurs after vigorous brushing and is not dangerous. However, recurrent bleeding gums are usually a sign of danger and should be checked.
What are the Symptoms of Bleeding Gums?
Gum bleeding is one of the most easily identified problems by dentists. This bleeding, which is usually recognized by the gums turning red, can also manifest itself with different symptoms:
- Red, sensitive gums
- Bloody taste in the mouth
- Occasional pus flow
- Bad breath
- Recession of the gums
- Sensitized teeth
- Pain and tenderness
- Discomfort with food intake
What Causes Bleeding Gums?
Bacterial infections in the gums produce toxins that cause inflammation of the gums. These toxins swell the gums over time and make them redder than usual. This causes the gums to weaken and recede.
Bleeding gums are less common in children than in adults. The main cause of bleeding gums in children is usually injury due to improper brushing. Bleeding gums in adults or the elderly are usually associated with another disease. The causes of bleeding gums in adults and the elderly are as follows:
- Trauma Hard foreign objects inserted into the mouth are among the main causes of bleeding in the gums.
- Irritation Acids and chemicals in products such as chewing gum and mouth fresheners can irritate the gums. As a result, bleeding occurs.
- Mouth sores Infection of sores in the mouth can spread to the gums and cause bleeding.
- Dental diseases: Problems with teeth and gums are factors that increase the risk of bleeding.
- Blood diseases: Diseases such as leukemia and clotting disorders are known to cause bleeding gums.
- Internal diseases: Systemic diseases such as liver and kidney disorders and diabetes also manifest themselves as bleeding gums.
- Pregnancy Bleeding gums during pregnancy occur as a result of hormonal changes.
- Cancer Bleeding in your gums may be directly related to cancer. Such bleeding has been seen especially in cancer types that affect blood values.
- Vitamin deficiency: Vitamins C and K are the main vitamins that nourish our teeth. A deficiency of these vitamins can lead to bleeding disorders.
- Medicines Some medications can cause bleeding gums as a side effect. For example, continuous use of blood thinners such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy can cause bleeding gums.
- Teething Teething is the main cause of bleeding gums in babies. Bleeding gums can also occur when adults are teething wisdom teeth.
How is Bleeding Gums Diagnosed?
Bleeding gums are diagnosed by specialist dentists. The problem is usually identified after a thorough oral examination. In some cases, however, your dentist may want to perform further tests:
Here are the tests your doctor may consider necessary to diagnose bleeding gums:
- Dental X-ray
- Jaw X-ray
- Blood analysis
- Sugar test
- Bleeding and clotting time
If your doctor thinks that there is a different cause under the bleeding gums, he or she can clarify the situation with the above tests.
How to Treat Bleeding Gums?
Bleeding gums are a common problem in the society. Since different diseases are listed as causes of bleeding gums, there is no general treatment that can be applied to everyone. Treatment varies depending on the cause of the bleeding and the symptoms the person is experiencing. Among the treatments that can be tried are the following:
- Gargle: If there is no other disease underlying the problem, using mouthwash for bleeding gums will be an effective solution.
- Medication: Specialists recommend medication for bleeding gums that cause pain and discomfort. These medications, which usually have a painkiller effect, are a sufficient solution to reduce your symptoms.
- Gum surgery: If your gums have receded or have persistent inflammation, your physician may recommend gum surgery. Therefore, it is possible to count surgery as one of the treatment methods.
Gum aesthetics: Worn and irritated gums will have an unpleasant appearance after a while. By having a gingival aesthetic procedure after gum recession, you can have a pleasant appearance and prevent bleeding.
How to Treat Bleeding Gums?
Preventing bleeding gums is not as difficult as it seems. You can keep your gums healthy by cleaning your teeth properly. Apart from basic care, you can stop bleeding gums by paying attention to the following:
- Reduce tea and coffee consumption.
- Eat calcium-rich products.
- Massage daily with cloves.
- Brush your teeth regularly.
- Visit your dentist.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bleeding Gums
In the main part of our content, we provided you with basic information about bleeding gums. In this section, we will answer frequently asked questions about bleeding gums. If you are ready, let's get started!
What does bleeding gums indicate?
For specialists, bleeding gums are often a sign of a different disease. If you are experiencing bleeding gums, the following causes are likely to be underlying:
- Diabetes
- Gum problems
- Tooth decay
- Leukemia
- Internal diseases
My gums are bleeding, what should I do?
People may experience bleeding gums from time to time. What is important here is the amount of bleeding and how long it lasts. If you have prolonged bleeding gums, we recommend that you make an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible.
What should healthy gums look like?
Gums that are firmly attached to the teeth and are light pink in color are considered healthy gums. Apart from this, the characteristics of healthy gums are as follows:
- The upper layer of the gums has an orange peel appearance.
- Healthy gums do not bleed.
- There is no pain and swelling.
How to recognize unhealthy gums?
Unhealthy gums have changed color from pink to red and are swollen. In addition to the main symptoms, we can list the following features:
- The color can be dark red.
- Bleeding gums in the morning.
- Gum bleeding is intense at night.
- There is recession of the gums.
- In advanced gum problems, there is also a complaint of bad breath.
- Swelling occurs in the gums.
Which vitamin deficiency causes bleeding gums?
Vitamins C and K are the main vitamins that nourish our teeth. Therefore, a deficiency of these two vitamins can cause bleeding gums.
Why do bleeding gums occur when brushing teeth?
There are many causes of bleeding gums when brushing your teeth. A general oral examination is necessary to find the underlying cause.
What is good for bleeding gums?
We can list the things that are good for bleeding gums as follows:
Avoid sugary foods and drinks.
Drink plenty of water.
Avoiding tobacco and derivatives.
Getting the underlying cause treated.
How to stop bleeding gums?
You can stop bleeding gums with natural methods. Here are some of those methods:
- Clove: The massage you will apply to your teeth with cloves will contribute to the relaxation of your tooth enamel.
- Garlic Garlic is a food with antibacterial properties. You can massage your teeth with two cloves of garlic or chew garlic directly.
- Salt water Gargling with salt water is very effective in stopping bleeding gums.
