Bleeding Gums? Learn More About Gum Disease in Omaha

Seeing blood in your mouth, toothbrush, or in the sink can be alarming. Bleeding gums are common and can have many different causes, all of which should prompt a visit to your dentist to be evaluated. In this article, we’ll go over bleeding gums and a few of the most common causes of bleeding gums.

Why Do Gums Bleed?

In the simplest of terms, if your gums are bleeding, it is a sign they are unhealthy. In some cases, bleeding in the gums can happen when you brush too vigorously, causing temporary injury to the gum tissue that may result in bleeding. But the most common cause of bleeding gums, by far, is unhealthy gums due to gum disease or another underlying health condition.

What causes unhealthy gums?

The primary cause of unhealthy gums is poor oral hygiene. When gums are unhealthy, there is often a buildup of plaque along the gum line. That plaque buildup is full of bacteria that can irritate the gum tissue and lead to gum diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis. Gingivitis is an early-stage gum disease and periodontitis is a more advanced gum disease- both are a result of ongoing poor oral hygiene. The most severe type of gum disease is known as trench mouth.

Do bleeding gums hurt?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. In the early stages of gum disease, you may have mild, intermittent bleeding and not feel much pain at all. Or you may only notice mild discomfort with brushing. At that stage, the signs of gum disease like swelling and mild inflammation may not be noticeable to someone who isn’t a trained dental health professional. This is why it is important to maintain a regular schedule of dental check-ups and cleanings. As gum disease progresses and your gums become unhealthier, you will most certainly have tenderness or pain and be able to see visible signs of trouble in the gum tissue. Gums will be red and inflamed, and you’ll notice more bleeding with brushing. At more advanced stages, your gums may hurt and bleed heavily when you brush them, and you may even notice pain or a throbbing sensation between brushing sessions from inflammation in the gums.

What health problems cause bleeding gums?

Many medical conditions can cause gums to bleed. While the most common cause of bleeding gums is gum disease from poor oral hygiene, you can also have bleeding gums because of the following health conditions: – Smoking – Stress – Diabetes – Hormonal fluctuations from puberty, pregnancy, or menopause – Vitamin K deficiency – Vitamin C deficiency – Oral herpes – Blood thinning medication (anticoagulants) Bleeding gums can also be caused by medical conditions like pernicious anemia, scurvy (severe vitamin C deficiency), thrombocytopenia, HIV/AIDS, Leukemia, Von Willebrand disease, or hemophilia.

What is the treatment for bleeding gums?

The treatment depends on the cause of your bleeding gums. If the cause is gum disease, your dentist will recommend the best treatment to improve the health of your gums. Some of those treatments include better at-home oral hygiene (brushing and flossing), tooth scaling and root planning (deep cleaning of your teeth), surgery to reduce the pockets in your gums around the teeth (called osseous surgery), and laser surgery. You may also need antibiotics. If the cause of your bleeding gums is something other than your dental health, your dentist may recommend you visit your primary care physician to be evaluated for other health concerns that may cause bleeding gums. If you leave your bleeding gums untreated, and the cause is unhealthy gums from gum disease, you risk the gum disease getting worse. Eventually, untreated severe gum disease can lead to repeated infections or result in tissue, ligament, tooth, and bone loss.

Can I prevent bleeding gums?

In some cases, yes! You can prevent gum-disease-related bleeding gums by brushing