What causes bleeding gums?
Most often it is gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Plaque left along the gum line irritates the gum, which swells and bleeds easily when you brush or floss. Gingivitis reverses once the plaque is cleaned away and kept away.
Other common causes:
- Starting to floss. Gums that are not used to it often bleed at first, then settle.
- Brushing too hard, or a brush with hard bristles.
- Some medications, including blood thinners, which make any small bleed last longer.
- Pregnancy, when hormonal changes make the gums more sensitive and quicker to bleed.
Why it is worth acting on early
Bleeding is often the only early sign of gum disease, because at that stage it rarely hurts. Caught now, it usually takes a thorough cleaning and a better routine at home. Left alone, it can move below the gum line and start to break down the bone that holds the teeth, and that can be managed but not undone.
If you smoke, be aware that smoking can hide the bleeding, so gums that do not bleed are not necessarily healthy.
What to do at home
Keep cleaning. It is tempting to leave a spot that bleeds alone, but that is usually the spot that needs it most. Stopping lets the plaque stay, and the bleeding carries on.
- Brush twice a day with a soft brush, angled toward the gum line, using gentle pressure.
- Floss once a day, gently, curving the floss around each tooth rather than snapping it into the gum.
- Give it time. Gums that bleed because of plaque usually settle once they are cleaned properly every day.
- If you take a blood thinner, keep taking it as prescribed, and tell us and your physician about the bleeding.
When should you call?
Swelling around one tooth, with pain or a bad taste, can be a dental abscess, and that needs seeing soon. If your mouth is bleeding and will not stop after firm pressure, or swelling is spreading down your neck or making it hard to breathe or swallow, go to an emergency room.
For bleeding when you brush, call and arrange a visit if:
- Your gums bleed every time you brush or floss, and gentle daily cleaning has not helped.
- Your gums are swollen, sore or red.
- There is pain, or a bad taste or bad breath that keeps coming back.
- Your gums are receding, or your teeth look longer than they did.
- A tooth feels loose, or your bite feels different.
What happens at your visit
At a visit here in Pearisburg, the first step is measuring your gums. The hygienist runs a thin probe gently around each tooth to see whether the gum fits snugly or whether pockets have formed below the gum line. With X-rays where there is a reason for them, that tells us whether this is gingivitis or gum disease that has gone further.
If it is gingivitis, a thorough cleaning and a few changes at home are usually enough, and we will show you where the plaque is being missed. If pockets have formed, the next step is gum disease treatment: a deeper cleaning under local anesthetic, then cleanings every 3 to 4 months to keep it under control.
Questions patients ask
Should I stop flossing if my gums bleed?
No. Gentle flossing is usually what stops the bleeding, because it removes the plaque causing it. Gums that are new to flossing tend to bleed at first and settle as they get used to it. If the bleeding carries on despite daily cleaning, call us.
Do bleeding gums mean I have gum disease?
Not necessarily, but gingivitis, the earliest stage, is the most common cause, and it reverses with a good cleaning and steady care at home. Measuring your gums at a visit tells us whether it has gone further.
Is it normal for gums to bleed during pregnancy?
It is common. Hormonal changes make the gums more sensitive to plaque, so they swell and bleed more easily. Keep brushing and flossing gently, keep up your regular cleanings, and tell us you are pregnant when you book.
Can blood thinners make my gums bleed?
They can make a small bleed last longer, so you may notice more when you brush or floss. Keep taking your medication as prescribed, and tell both us and your physician about the bleeding.
Are bleeding gums an emergency?
Usually not. If your mouth is bleeding and it will not stop after firm pressure, go to an emergency room. Bleeding when you brush is a reason to call and arrange a visit, not a trip to the hospital.