What does it mean when my gums bleed?
Bleeding and redness anywhere on the body are a sign that something is hurt or wrong. When the gums bleed, it means the same thing. The bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth happens because the act of brushing or flossing is touching a spot on the gums that is already irritated from plaque or tartar sitting in this spot where the tooth and gums connect. It is much like the act of putting your shoes on could make a blister on your heal bleed if you had a constant irritation from poor fitting shoes, it would make it worse if the shoes were very dirty with lots of bacteria like plaque has. Many people will say "I thought I was brushing too hard causing the bleeding." This is not the case in most patients. It is the plaque and tartar that cause the constant irritation to the gums that then cause them to bleed when you brush or floss. To stop this from happening, first is is important to make sure you are removing as much plaque as possible daily by flossing properly, second, we recommend the use of an electric tooth brush. It is also good to have a teeth cleaning every 6 months since many times people will miss the same spots over and over again out of habit. The dental hygienist can find these spots and clean them better, removing the tartar that has been left behind accidentally. If the build up is too much or there has been a dissolving of the bone that supports the teeth, deep cleaning may be needed.
If your gums bleed, it is not normal. We can help, schedule and appointment online today, it's that easy.