Stop Bleeding Gums

There you are standing in front of the bathroom mirror with floss in hand. Today marks the first day that you’ve decided to heed the advice your dentist has been giving you for years, you need to floss more. You string each end around your fingers and leave enough space in the middle for the dirty work.

As you work the floss between your teeth you notice some spotting along your gums. You pause for a moment and realize your amateur flossing job is causing areas of your mouth to bleed. Ultimately you decide to quit midway through flossing – surely this isn’t good for your mouth. But how the heck will you get this bleeding to stop during future floss sessions?

Bleeding gums are generally a signal that you have or are developing periodontal disease. This condition can also occur from brushing too aggressively, unbalanced diet, blood thinners and other medications, hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, dentures, mouth sores, and other medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

Never diagnose yourself! Regardless of what conditions you might be exhibiting, only your dentist should diagnose the condition and outline a course for treatment. Visit Tempe Smiles dental offices as soon as possible if you only recently discovered blood around your gums.

Treatment is often straight forward – your dentist will advise you to do a better job of removing plaque from your teeth. This bacteria is especially difficult to reach in the tiny spaces of your mouth without floss and gradually promotes the development of gum disease. The blood on your gums is generally a warning sign that you’re not taking enough action to prevent the disease altogether.

Here are some other tips to follow to treat bleeding gums over time,

• Use a softer toothbrush and use a proper technique
• Floss every day
• Rinse your mouth with salt water and avoid mouthwashes that contain alcohol
• Stop smoking
• Balance your diet