The most common sign of gingivitis and other stages of gum disease is bleeding gums. Factors such as vigorous brushing, injury, pregnancy, diabetes, vitamin deficiency, and blood-clotting conditions can cause gums to bleed when you brush. However, the leading cause of bleeding gums is gingivitis, which is the inflammation of the gums due to insufficient plaque removal. Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible if you make adjustments to your dental hygiene and lifestyle. If the bleeding is due to advanced stages of gum disease, you will require treatment to address the underlying cause.
Oral Health-Related Reasons for Bleeding Gums when you Brush
If your gums are healthy, they should not bleed when you brush. So, when you notice blood during brushing, you have gum inflammation. Stopping the brushing to prevent further harm might not help, because the problem is not caused by brushing, unless you were brushing aggressively. Typically, when you notice bleeding gums, gum inflammation is the problem.
Gingivitis, or gum inflammation, happens when a sticky biofilm called plaque forms along the gum margins. Plaque contains harmful bacteria, and if it is not removed through brushing and flossing, the bacteria spread to the gums and teeth. When plaque remains on the gums for a long time, the body treats it as a threat and sends additional antibodies to the area to fight the infection. The extra blood to the gums is what causes the gums to appear red, tender, or inflamed. Additionally, harmful bacteria on the gums produce toxic substances that irritate the gums, causing swelling. Gum inflammation increases sensitivity, causing the gums to bleed when you brush.
Immediate Action to Take when you Notice your Gums Bleeding
What should you do when you notice bleeding gums? For most people, the first instinct is to suspend brushing or flossing for a few days. However, pausing brushing worsens your situation because poor brushing is what led you to this point in the first place. When you stop brushing, food debris continues to build up on the gum margins, accelerating the gingivitis. You will end up with multiple and severe bleeding effects in the future.
While plaque causes gum sensitivity and inflammation, and removing it can help reverse your condition, aggressive brushing is not the solution. Do not assume that the harder you brush, the cleaner your teeth and gums become. Aggressive brushing, especially with a hard-bristled brush, only irritates the gums further and could lead to permanent damage.
Another mistake you can make is to ignore the bleeding, hoping it will go away on its own. Doing so only allows the gingivitis to advance, leading to periodontitis, which is irreversible and requires more complicated treatments.
Now that you know what not to do, what should be your immediate action plan when you notice pink foam on the sink while brushing?
- Use a Soft Toothbrush and Brush Gently
First, switch to a soft brush and do not stop brushing. However, do it gently, especially when brushing the surfaces between the gum margins and the teeth, to remove the plaque that could be causing your inflammation.
- Floss at Least Once a Day
Brushing alone cannot remove plaque from the gum margins and the spaces between the teeth. Therefore, ensure you floss your teeth once a day to remove the sticky film that the toothbrush cannot reach.
- Rinse the Mouth with Warm Saline Water or Hydrogen Peroxide
Always rinse your mouth with warm saline water at least thirty minutes after brushing. Swishing for at least half a minute helps relieve or soothe the gums. Also, you can use hydrogen peroxide to rinse your mouth to remove plaque, stop gum bleeding, and improve gum health.
- Apply a Cold Compress or Gentle Pressure
If your gums bleed because of facial trauma, you need to gently apply pressure to the section of the gums that is injured. Applying a cold compress reduces the gum tissue inflammation and encourages blood to clot, preventing excessive bleeding. Make sure you apply the ice pack for 20 minutes, then rest for 20 minutes, and repeat.
Knowing what to do or avoid on the spot when the gums start bleeding is crucial. However, you must be consistent to eliminate plaque and reverse the gingivitis.
Other Causes of Bleeding Gums
Gingivitis is the number one cause of bleeding gums. However, it is not the only cause. Other factors can trigger the bleeding. If you have to resolve the problem, you must start by identifying these factors that could be causing the bleeding. The factors could range from minor brushing errors to severe underlying health conditions.
Evaluate your Brushing Technique
Gingivitis or plaque might not be the cause of bleeding. So, begin by assessing your brushing technique. Brushing too hard or using a hard toothbrush can cause micro-damage to the teeth and gums, leading to bleeding. So, check your toothbrush to see if the bristles are hard or medium. If they are, they could be irritating the gums, causing bleeding. Aggressive brushing will not make your teeth cleaner. Instead of the hard brush, switch to a soft one for more efficient plaque removal.
Hormonal Changes or Shifts
Hormones are chemical messengers that coordinate various body functions by signaling the body on what to do and when to do it. During puberty, pregnancy, or menopause, hormonal changes in women increase blood flow to the gums. As a result, women are more prone to developing gingivitis, which can cause bleeding when brushing. However, tooth sensitivity is only temporary and can resolve on its own, with proper oral hygiene, at the end of menstruation, pregnancy, or puberty.
High Stress Levels
Research has shown that there is a link between emotional stress and gum disease. Stress weakens the body’s immune system to the point that it cannot fight gum infection. However, no studies have quantified the level of stress that triggers gum disease.
Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamin C deficiency weakens the immune system, increasing the risk of gum disease even with proper oral hygiene, which is another reason your gums could be bleeding. Vitamin K deficiency can also cause bleeding gums. The bleeding happens because of weak gum tissue and affects your blood clotting.
Poorly Fitted Dental Appliances
If you undergo dental work such as dental dentures, retainers, or braces, but they are loose, they could rub against the gums, causing irritation that results in bleeding, sores, and swelling. So, if your gums are persistently bleeding after undergoing a removable dental appliance procedure, you need to see your dentist for adjustments and achieve a perfect fit.
Gingivitis vs. Periodontal Disease
Gum disease is the primary cause of gum bleeding. However, gum disease has various stages, ranging from gingivitis, which is the onset of gum disease, to periodontitis, which is advanced gum disease. So, the first time your gums bleed, it could be an early sign of gingivitis, and if you act on it immediately, you could reverse the problem. However, if the condition goes untreated, it could turn into periodontitis, which damages your teeth and gums permanently.
- Gingivitis or Gum Inflammation is Reversible
The main difference between gingivitis and periodontitis is that gingivitis is reversible. Gingivitis stems from plaque buildup on the gum margins. The bacteria in the biofilm irritate the gum tissue, causing inflammation and redness. Irritated gum tissue is prone to bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth. Apart from soreness and puffy gums, you may develop bad breath that does not disappear even with brushing, as well as sensitivity to extremely hot or cold temperatures.
Gum disease is reversible with proper brushing and flossing. All you need to do is visit the dentist for a thorough examination of the gums. Once the dentist establishes that you have gingivitis, you will not require any treatment. They will use specialized tools to remove plaque between the gum margins and the teeth. After the deep cleaning, the dentist will give you instructions on how to care for your teeth, including maintaining proper oral hygiene, reducing stress, and balancing your diet. If you follow these instructions, the damage done to the gum tissue will be reversed, and you will no longer have to deal with bleeding gums.
- Periodontitis is Irreversible
Periodontal disease, or periodontitis, occurs when gingivitis goes untreated. At this stage, the gum infection has spread deep into the gum tissue and tooth root, causing symptoms more severe than those of gingivitis. You can tell your gum disease has advanced to the periodontitis stage if you are experiencing the following symptoms:
- Halitosis.
- Loose teeth.
- Bleeding gums.
- Uneven bite.
- Pus on the gum margins.
- Reddish gum tissue.
- Pain when chewing.
- Fluffy gums.
Gingivitis and early periodontal disease do not cause pain, which is why the disease can progress without you noticing. Many begin to notice the disease when permanent damage has been done to the gum tissue and bones. Once the infection reaches the bones and ligaments that support the teeth, your teeth begin to loosen or feel wiggly and eventually fall out.
While the damage from periodontitis is permanent, you can fix it using various treatments. After diagnosis, your dentist can administer oral or topical antibiotics to kill the gum infection and prevent recurrence. Additionally, they will review your oral hygiene tools and products and give you pro tips to care for your teeth and gums.
Another non-surgical solution is root planing and scaling. Here, the dentist lifts the gums to expose the tooth roots, where plaque and tartar hide. Cleaning these surfaces removes all plaque and tartar, while topical antibiotics kill any gum infection that may not have been removed during cleaning.
In severe cases, you will require surgical intervention, such as bone grafts, gum grafts, guided tissue regeneration, and platelet-rich plasma. These treatments are highly invasive and expensive. Also, the gums and teeth might not regain their original nature.
Not all cases of gingivitis advance to periodontitis. If you catch the disease early, you can reverse it to avoid permanent damage and expensive treatments. Early intervention requires you to identify gingivitis symptoms when they start and go for an examination. So, if you notice your gums bleeding during brushing, visit your dentist for a thorough oral exam. If gingivitis is the cause, the dentist will take steps to reverse the problem before it advances.
Ways to Stop Bleeding Gums
When your gums bleed during brushing or flossing, you should not assume. It is your body warning you of an underlying condition that requires urgent attention. It could be gum disease, trauma, vitamin deficiency, or hormonal changes. While seeking treatment is the best course of action, what you do between dental appointments counts a lot toward achieving healthy gums. Some of the actions you can take include:
Improving your Oral Hygiene
When gum bleeding stems from plaque accumulation along the gum margins, the best way to reverse it and prevent future episodes is to improve your oral hygiene. This is especially true for pregnant or menstruating women because this is the time they are most prone to gum disease due to hormonal fluctuations.
Quit Smoking
Smoking weakens the body’s immune system, making it hard to fight gum infections. So, if you want to stop the spread of plaque bacteria and gum bleeding, you should quit smoking to restore your body’s immune system. That way, you restore your gums’ health and prevent bleeding.
Increase Vitamin C and K Intake
Eating more foods rich in Vitamin C will strengthen your immune system, enabling the body to fight gum infections and stop their spread. If the gums are already bleeding, Vitamin C intake should be increased to stop the bleeding, as proper oral hygiene alone will not suffice. Eat more oranges, carrots, red peppers, and sweet potatoes for vitamin C.
Vitamin K deficiency can also trigger gum bleeding. So, increase the intake of kale, spinach, mustard greens, and collard greens to boost vitamin k and help with blood clotting.
Manage Underlying Health Conditions
Diseases, such as diabetes, leukemia, HIV/AIDS, and oral herpes, can cause gums to bleed when brushing if they are uncontrolled. Therefore, manage these conditions to stop the bleeding. Also, if you are taking blood thinners, you might want to speak with your physician about changing your medication.
Find a Competent Dental Professional Near Me
Gum bleeding is common among adults above 30. However, there are several steps you can take to stop the bleeding at home. If you have been unable to manage the symptoms for a week, it is time to see a dentist for specialized care. At The Lakewood Dentist, we will thoroughly examine your gums and teeth to determine if you have gum disease, its severity, and recommend the appropriate treatment. Call us at 562-423-1441 for a detailed oral exam and treatment.