One of the most common oral cavity conditions is bleeding gums, which only comes second to how common bad breath is.
Bleeding gums are a common sign from gingivitis which can then progress to periodontitis.
Despite the availability of modern age facilities and advancements in the field of oral care and hygiene, it is still rampant. There are ways to prevent the condition from occurring. Once it has manifested, there are easy ways to treat it too.
Primary causes for bleeding gums
1. The top cause of bleeding gums is a poor condition of teeth due to insufficient or improper brushing or when food particles are left to sit on the surface of the teeth and the whole mouth area when not rinsed after eating.
This becomes a breeding ground for nasty bacteria that causes inflammation of the gums and ultimately to bleeding. Gums become infected and turn soft and spongy.
At this stage, the slightest agitation like rough brushing or being pricked by sharp particles causes the gums to bleed.
2. Unintentional pricking of the gums from food particles that are hard and sharp, like fish bones or hard crackers, also cause bleeding.
3. Gums can also get burned from hot food or beverages and even chemicals which may also result to bleeding. An example of an age-old practice that is bad for the gums is placing medications on the gum surface, and some medications have components that gums are sensitive to.
4. ANUG and other fast spreading contagious diseases have symptoms that include bleeding gums because of damaged blood vessels.
5. Vitamin C deficiency can also lead to issues with blood vessels in the gums that manifest through bleeding. This was discovered by early sailors when most were afflicted with the condition. The situation only improved when a crew decided to stock up on oranges for consumption during every voyage.
It is of common knowledge that oranges are rich sources of Vitamin C.
6. While there are illnesses that have gingival bleeding as symptoms, there are certain common illnesses that are otherwise not connected to bleeding gums but are catalysts for the condition to manifest when such is already apparent to a patient.
These illnesses include:
a. allergic reactions
b. increase in platelet count
c. illnesses that exhibit through the incapability to form blood clots
d. intake of medications that act as anti-coagulants such as aspirin
e. leukaemia
How to know that you have gingival bleeding?
Bleeding gums as a condition may or may not be accompanied by a usually dull feeling pain or irritation. People usually see blood when they brush their teeth or when their spit is tainted with blood.
Properly Diagnosing The Condition
As the condition may be a primary one or just an underlying problem, a dentist uses a probe to properly diagnose the bleeding.
The probe is a thin and sharp metal instrument that is used by passing along where the teeth and the gums meet. The instrument induces bleeding.
The dentist can see how the blood is formed and if there are clotting formations. Blood samples are also collected for a more thorough laboratory test.
Treating Bleeding Gums
A persistent inflammation of the gums is easily treated by eliminating the cause of bacteria build up. A mild to moderate case of bleeding is just as easily improved by proper oral hygiene with particular attention given to teeth.
A more serious case of gingival bleeding needs the attention of a professional for proper treatment. There might be other systemic issues associated with the bleeding that must be taken care of.
Bleeding gums might even indicate a more serious gum disease that may even involve the connective tissue between the gmus and the teeth which would result to loss of teeth.
Some Important FAQs
Is bleeding gums a serious problem?
Yes, gingival bleeding is a serious health issue. The condition can either be a standalone health issue or a strong indicator or symptom of a more serious health concern, some of which have been proven fatal when left untreated.
Can there be something taken to treat the condition?
There are over-the-counter medications that come in the form of oral solutions that can be administered by the patient without aid from a healthcare practitioner.
Most are applied directly to the gums and work to either minimize or completely stop the bleeding. These however are just short term treatments.
Long term results can only be achieved when the root cause of the issue is addressed.
Bleeding Gums
One of the most common oral cavity conditions is bleeding gums, which only comes second to how common bad breath is.
Bleeding gums are a common sign from gingivitis which can then progress to periodontitis.
Despite the availability of modern age facilities and advancements in the field of oral care and hygiene, it is still rampant. There are ways to prevent the condition from occurring. Once it has manifested, there are easy ways to treat it too.
Primary causes for bleeding gums
1. The top cause of bleeding gums is a poor condition of teeth due to insufficient or improper brushing or when food particles are left to sit on the surface of the teeth and the whole mouth area when not rinsed after eating.
This becomes a breeding ground for nasty bacteria that causes inflammation of the gums and ultimately to bleeding. Gums become infected and turn soft and spongy.
At this stage, the slightest agitation like rough brushing or being pricked by sharp particles causes the gums to bleed.
2. Unintentional pricking of the gums from food particles that are hard and sharp, like fish bones or hard crackers, also cause bleeding.
3. Gums can also get burned from hot food or beverages and even chemicals which may also result to bleeding. An example of an age-old practice that is bad for the gums is placing medications on the gum surface, and some medications have components that gums are sensitive to.
4. ANUG and other fast spreading contagious diseases have symptoms that include bleeding gums because of damaged blood vessels.
5. Vitamin C deficiency can also lead to issues with blood vessels in the gums that manifest through bleeding. This was discovered by early sailors when most were afflicted with the condition. The situation only improved when a crew decided to stock up on oranges for consumption during every voyage.
It is of common knowledge that oranges are rich sources of Vitamin C.
6. While there are illnesses that have gingival bleeding as symptoms, there are certain common illnesses that are otherwise not connected to bleeding gums but are catalysts for the condition to manifest when such is already apparent to a patient.
a. allergic reactions
b. increase in platelet count
c. illnesses that exhibit through the incapability to form blood clots
d. intake of medications that act as anti-coagulants such as aspirin
e. leukaemia
How to know that you have gingival bleeding?
Bleeding gums as a condition may or may not be accompanied by a usually dull feeling pain or irritation. People usually see blood when they brush their teeth or when their spit is tainted with blood.
Properly Diagnosing The Condition
The probe is a thin and sharp metal instrument that is used by passing along where the teeth and the gums meet. The instrument induces bleeding.
The dentist can see how the blood is formed and if there are clotting formations. Blood samples are also collected for a more thorough laboratory test.
Treating Bleeding Gums
A persistent inflammation of the gums is easily treated by eliminating the cause of bacteria build up. A mild to moderate case of bleeding is just as easily improved by proper oral hygiene with particular attention given to teeth.
A more serious case of gingival bleeding needs the attention of a professional for proper treatment. There might be other systemic issues associated with the bleeding that must be taken care of.
Bleeding gums might even indicate a more serious gum disease that may even involve the connective tissue between the gmus and the teeth which would result to loss of teeth.
Some Important FAQs
Is bleeding gums a serious problem?
Yes, gingival bleeding is a serious health issue. The condition can either be a standalone health issue or a strong indicator or symptom of a more serious health concern, some of which have been proven fatal when left untreated.
Can there be something taken to treat the condition?
There are over-the-counter medications that come in the form of oral solutions that can be administered by the patient without aid from a healthcare practitioner.
Most are applied directly to the gums and work to either minimize or completely stop the bleeding. These however are just short term treatments.
Long term results can only be achieved when the root cause of the issue is addressed.
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