{"id":217,"date":"2018-12-28T21:18:59","date_gmt":"2018-12-28T21:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/?p=217"},"modified":"2019-01-30T22:17:29","modified_gmt":"2019-01-30T22:17:29","slug":"what-causes-gums-to-bleed-your-dentist-provides-the-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/what-causes-gums-to-bleed-your-dentist-provides-the-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"What Causes Gums to Bleed? Your Dentist Provides the Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/bleeding-gums.jpg\" alt=\"toothbrush and blood in sink\" class=\"wp-image-218\" width=\"287\" height=\"191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/bleeding-gums.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/bleeding-gums-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/bleeding-gums-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Every time you brush or floss your teeth, you notice that your gums bleed, and you\u2019re wondering what the reason is. One of the possible issues could be that you\u2019re experiencing the early stages of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">gum disease<\/a>. What else could be causing the bleeding and what can be done about it? Read on to get the answers from your dentist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gum Disease Explained<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main antagonists of your oral health are bacteria. While\nthey are always present, if foods high in sugar are consumed in abundance or\nthere are inconsistencies in performing oral hygiene, plaque can eventually\ndevelop and begin to seep beneath the gumline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can result in gum (periodontal) disease, which is the\ninflammation of the gums. Here are some of the more common symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Puffiness<\/li><li>Red spots<\/li><li>Swollen tissue<\/li><li>Bleeding<\/li><li>Tenderness<\/li><li>Consistently unpleasant breath<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Makes the Gums Bleed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the reasons that gums bleed is that as plaque works\nits way beneath the gumline, it forms pockets that trap germs. As a result, the\ngums become irritated, which leads to them easily bleeding. Another contributor\nto bleeding gums can be vigorous tooth-brushing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some other possible factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Age <\/strong>\u2013\nUnfortunately, the older you get, the more susceptible to gum disease you can\nbecome.<\/li><li><strong>Stress <\/strong>\u2013\nStudies show that increased stress can weaken your body\u2019s immune system and\nleave you vulnerable to developing periodontal disease. <\/li><li><strong>Medications\n<\/strong>\u2013 Certain medications can cause your mouth to become extremely dry, which\nis the optimal environment for bacteria to grow. <\/li><li><strong>Genetics <\/strong>\u2013\nDue to your family history, you may have a greater chance of developing\nperiodontal disease. Thus, any warning signs shouldn\u2019t be ignored<strong>.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treating Periodontal Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, there are several methods for treating\nperiodontal disease. They are classified into two basic categories \u2013 surgical\nand non-surgical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Non-Surgical Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the non-surgical methods your dentist can use to\nrestore your oral health:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Root\nPlaning and Scaling <\/strong>\u2013 Typically used to treat moderate-to-advanced forms of\nperiodontal disease, root planing is the process of smoothing the surface of\nthe roots to prevent them from attracting new bacteria. Scaling, then, is used\nto remove plaque and tartar that has become trapped beneath the gums.<\/li><li><strong>Periodontal\nMaintenance Therapy <\/strong>\u2013 For some patients, it\u2019s necessary to undergo\nmaintenance therapy to prevent the re-occurrence of periodontal disease. The\nspecialist will develop a personalized plan that typically suggests that the\npatient visits every three-to-four months instead of the usual semi-annual\nschedule.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surgical Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Prolonged bacteria growth can lead to the decay of the bone,\njoints and ligaments that support your jaw and teeth. Here are some of the\nsurgical procedures used to restore optimal oral health:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Pocket Depth\nReduction <\/strong>\u2013 As bacteria move beneath the gum line, the ligaments and bone\nthat hold your teeth in place can be compromised. A pocket depth reduction\ninvolves the removal of infected tissue, which allows for new, healthy tissue\nto grow in its place.<\/li><li><strong>Regeneration\nand Bone Grafting <\/strong>\u2013 Over time, untreated periodontal disease can lead to a\nloss in bone mass. The bone grafting procedure will remove healthy bone from\nother parts of the body so it can be used to restore the bone material beneath\nyour gums.<\/li><li><strong>Soft\nTissue Grafting <\/strong>\u2013 This procedure is used to replace severely decayed tissue\nwith healthy tissue from other parts of the mouth.<\/li><li><strong>Osseous\nSurgery <\/strong>\u2013 Another method your dentist has to overcome lost bone material is\nto perform osseous surgery, which can include the reshaping or replacement of\nbone tissue.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Overcoming periodontal disease is possible with the help of\nyour dentist, but the first step is to schedule a consultation. Then, by being\nmore proactive, you can possibly receive a less-invasive form of treatment to\nrestore your oral health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To also help in reducing the occurrence of bleeding gums,\nyou should be sure to use a toothbrush with soft bristles, and carefully brush\nyour teeth. By taking the safest approach and receiving the expert care of your\ndentist, you can soon have healthy gums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Marvin Berger is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery. Additionally, he received a Certificate in Periodontology from the Boston University School of Graduate Dentistry. A member of the American Academy of Periodontology, Dr. Berger helps patients overcome periodontal disease at Flenniken Family Dentistry, and he can be reached for more information through his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flennikendental.com\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every time you brush or floss your teeth, you notice that your gums bleed, and you\u2019re wondering what the reason is. One of the possible issues could be that you\u2019re experiencing the early stages of gum disease. What else could be causing the bleeding and what can be done about it? Read on to get [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Causes Gums to Bleed? Your Dentist Provides the Answers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you noticed bleeding gums? If so, it could be from gum disease. 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