Bleeding gums aren’t always a cause for concern. Sometimes the cause is minor and can be easily fixed. With that said, there are other times where bleeding gums are indicative of a bigger and more severe issue. It’s important to understand what causes bleeding gums, and what you can do to prevent your gums from bleeding.
What Causes Bleeding Gums?
There are a variety of reasons your gums may be bleeding. Below are a few of the leading causes of bleeding gums:
- Brushing and flossing too hard. It’s good to brush and floss regularly. With that said, if you are brushing and flossing too hard, you may be causing your gums to bleed.
- Gum disease. Gum disease occurs when plaque builds up on the teeth over time. This bacteria leads to gingivitis and, if not addressed in a timely manner, periodontitis.
- Poor eating habits. If you are eating a lot of carbohydrates and sugar, you increase your chances of plaque buildup. This, in turn, can lead to gum disease and bleeding gums.
- Smoking. Smoking affects your immune system. This includes your gums. Make sure for your overall health and wellness to quit smoking.
How To Prevent Bleeding Gums
There are some simple steps that you can take to avoid bleeding gums…
- Take proper care of your oral health. The number one thing you can do to avoid bleeding gums is to take proper care of your oral health. This means brushing, flossing and rinsing twice a day every day. If you take care of your oral hygiene, you lessen the amount of plaque buildup, which decreases your chances of gum disease. You’ll also want to make sure you aren’t brushing or flossing too hard. While it’s important to be thorough, you also need to be gentle.
- Buy a better toothbrush. The sensitivity of people’s gums differ from person to person. You may have particularly sensitive gums. If this is the case, you’ll want to purchase a toothbrush with softer bristles.
- Go to the dentist often. You need to visit the dentist twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. This allows your dentist to clear away plaque buildup and check for any oral health issues. If they find anything wrong, they can address the issue early on—before it gets worse.
- Eat higher quality foods. To avoid plaque buildup, you may need to cut back on the carbohydrates in your diet. You also shouldn’t have sugar very often. Eat more foods with vitamin C and K, as well. Those vitamins help with your gum health.
When to Visit Your Dentist
If your gums are bleeding a couple times a month or so, that’s normal. You also may try the steps above and figure out that it was something minor and easy to fix. If your gums bleed frequently, though, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with your dentist for as soon as you can. They’ll take a look and decide on the best course of action.