Bleeding gums – a serious warning signal from your body
Are there red marks left when you bite off the apple? Does the spit out toothpaste contain blood after brushing your teeth? Or do you have a metallic taste in your mouth? All of these could include indications of gum inflammation, i.e. acute inflammation of your gums, also known as the gingiva. Find out why it is important to treat bleeding gums here.
Bleeding gums are a serious warning signal from your body: It speaks for an inflammation of the entire periodontium. This is known in specialist circles as periodontal disease. This is a serious disease that, in the worst case, not only leads to tooth loss, but can also cause heart and circulatory diseases, osteoporosis or Alzheimer’s.
A preliminary stage is superficially inflamed gums (gingivitis) – this can also be expressed by bleeding gums. If you notice regular bleeding gums, a visit to your dentist is essential.
Causes: Why do the gums bleed?
As with all inflammation, your body tries to become active on its own. By increasing blood flow to the affected area, it tries to flush out the bacteria.
Symptoms of gingivitis:
Redness, swelling, and pain. The gums also swell, can take on a crimson color when the blood vessels expand and react sensitively when brushing or biting off your teeth.
Possible causes of bleeding gums include:
– Hormonal changes (pregnancy),
– Bacteria / poor oral hygiene,
– Mechanical pressures (protruding filling edges),
– Vitamin C deficiency or chemical processes.
- The most common cause of bleeding gums
and periodontal disease: Poor oral hygiene
Irregular tooth brushing and inadequate oral hygiene are the most common causes of bleeding of the gingiva, the gums. A thin layer of plaque forms within a short time after eating. If the teeth are brushed too seldom, this layer thickens. Ultimately, the plaque manifests itself in solid form as tartar, which offers particularly good conditions for the bacteria in the plaque. Over time, these bacteria can spread to your gums and gums. Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium) develop. - Bleeding gums due to hormonal changes during pregnancy
Correct brushing technique and thorough oral hygiene are even more important during pregnancy and breastfeeding than with non-pregnant women. This is the only way to actively prevent pregnancy-induced gingivitis or periodontitis.
Hormonal restructuring in the body during pregnancy means that your body reacts more easily to bacterial deposits. The plaque irritates faster and the gums bleed faster. A professional teeth cleaning, checking your teeth at the beginning of a pregnancy and good oral hygiene can prevent this.
- Bleeding gums due to insufficient filling margins and dentures
Fillings that have been placed in the interdental space beyond the tooth boundaries create a niche for bacteria. This often happens with old amalgam fillings. The permanent colonization with harmful bacteria leads to gingivitis. Thoroughly brushing your teeth often does not help either – the bristles of the toothbrush do not reach these niches. It starts to bleed.
In contrast to bleeding gums with inadequate oral hygiene, in this case the gums bleed selectively: directly on the filling. Due to this bacterial load, the gums often retreat. Receding gums and gum pockets are the result. Your dentist will check the freshly placed filling margins with a probe or floss and use it to check the patency of the interdental space.
The same applies to removable dentures: Excessive pressure loads irritate the gums ( gingiva ) and inflammation occurs. These are painful and not always easy to fix. Without dentures, patients often feel uncomfortable speaking. If the dentures cannot be worn due to pressure sores, it is difficult to ingest food. Many patients then tend to wear the dentures after all. It is important to break this vicious circle and remove the pressure points on the dentures. This is often just a small correction to the denture. This allows the gums to heal and the bleeding gums to disappear.
First steps: How to protect yourself from bleeding gums
> Regular brushing of your teeth with special toothpaste and proper dental care
> Regular check-ups with your dentist
> Professional teeth cleaning once or twice a year
> Avoid risk factors such as smoking
- Brush your teeth regularly
Regular check-ups with your dentist are one of the most important preventive measures against periodontal disease. Professional teeth cleaning is recommended once or twice a year.
Tip: Many insurance companies also offer all-round carefree dental protection, which takes care of your professional teeth cleaning so that you can continue to shine with a beautiful smile in the future. Patients often notice insufficient fillings due to food residues remaining between the teeth. Don’t forget to tell your dentist about this at one of your check-ups.
- Regular check-ups and professional teeth cleaning at the dentist
Regular check-ups with your dentist are one of the most important preventive measures against periodontal disease. Professional teeth cleaning is recommended once or twice a year.
Tip: The all-round carefree mouth guard from Dentolo also takes care of your professional teeth cleaning so that you will shine with a beautiful smile in the future. Patients often notice insufficient fillings due to food residues remaining between the teeth. Don’t forget to tell your dentist about this at one of your check-ups.
- Avoid risk factors
Smoking constricts your blood vessels, which means that blood flow to the gums is also changed. In addition, it lowers the immune system. Bleeding gums are closely related to smoking.
Protect yourself effectively against heart disease with healthy gums In the mouth there is a constant interplay between bacterial defense and bacterial multiplication. The whole is called oral flora.
If the bacterial proliferation gains the upper hand due to a lack of oral hygiene, various diseases develop in the mouth. The best known are tooth decay and inflammation of the gums (periodontitis). But heart infections can also be provoked by poor oral hygiene.
Streptococci, spherical bacteria, are part of the healthy oral flora. However, there are sub-forms that can reproduce well in plaque and are also known to cause heart infections. These are called Streptococcus mutans. They then particularly like to attack the inner lining of the heart muscle, also known as the endocardium. Endocarditis is the result. The risk of a heart attack increases. That is why it is important not to let tooth decay develop or to let the dentist fix it quickly.