Bleeding Gums
Painful Gums could be:
- Bleeding Gums
- Sore Gums
- Swollen Gums
- Lack of clotting cells (platelets)
- Leukemia (cancer of the blood)
- Periodontitis (an advanced form of gum disease)
- Vitamin deficiency
- Age
- Clenching or grinding teeth
- Genetics
- Medications such as such as anti-depressants and some oral contraceptives
- New hard toothbrush
- Poor oral hygiene
- Poor nutrition
- Stress
- Tobacco use
Bleeding gums are most often a sign of gum disease, but can also point to a number of other health problems as well.
Bleeding gums are caused by inadequate plaque removal. Plaque contains germs which attack the healthy tissue around the teeth. This will cause the gums to become inflamed and irritated, which may cause them to bleed when brushing or flossing. This is called Gingivitis and is the first stage of gum disease. Gingivitis is usually a painless condition and bleeding gums may be the only symptom.
Occasional bleeding of the gums can be the result of brushing your teeth too vigorously or wearing dentures that don’t fit correctly. Frequent episodes of gum bleeding, however, can indicate more serious conditions, such as:
Gingivitis: When plaque stays on the lining of the gum for too long, gingivitis occurs. Plaque is the left-over food and bacteria that remains on the teeth when you don’t brush properly or regularly. It accumulates on the gum line and gives birth to gingivitis, which causes bleeding gums.
Periodontitis: When gingivitis reaches an advanced stage, periodontitis occurs. It is an infection of the gums, jawbone, and the soft tissues that surround the teeth. This condition can also lead to bleeding gums.
Vitamin Deficiencies: Vitamin C and K deficiencies can easily become the number one cause of bleeding gums. This is a deficiency which is very common in children and adults living in underdeveloped or developing countries. If your dentist tells you that you have healthy teeth and you are still experiencing bleeding gums, then you can fairly (by means of tests) attribute it to a vitamin deficiency.
Other Causes of Bleeding Gums
Some rare cases
Pregnancy Gingivitis
Some pregnant women experience swollen gums and bleeding during brushing. This is known as pregnancy gingivitis.
How to prevent bleeding gum
• Clean your teeth near the gums with a soft brush. Gently push the brush between the tooth and the gum. It may bleed at first, but as the gums toughen, the bleeding will stop.
• Make your food soft, so it is easier to chew. Pounded yam and soup are good examples.
• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. If it is difficult for you to bite into fruit, squeeze it and drink the juice.
• Start rinsing your mouth with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water. You can get hydrogen peroxide from your clinic or your pharmacy (chemist).
The strength of hydrogen peroxide is important. Ask for a 3% solution, and mix it evenly with water—that is, ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide with ½ cup of water.
NOTE: Read the label to be sure the solution is 3%. A mixture with more than 3% hydrogen peroxide can burn the mouth.
Use Aloevera:
Aloevera has many medicinal properties and one of the properties is to reduce gum inflammation, making bleeding less likely. Take a small amount of aloevera pulp and massage it on your gums, Let the pulp settle on your gums before rinsing your mouth. Mild gum diseases can be taken care by consuming liquids that have natural aloevera in it.
Brushing and flossing:
Prevention has always been better than cure. So if you don't want to wait till the time you get a gum inflammation to take care of your gums start brushing twice daily along with flossing. Not only will it enable you to get a pearly white smile it will also help you to keep several gum and teeth related problems at bay.
Fresh fruits and vegetables:
Fresh and raw vegetable and fruits not only are good for overall health they are also equally important for healthy gums as well. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and low in calories. Chewing raw vegetables help to improve blood circulation in gums, thus helping to reduce the bleeding of gums.
Take a lot of food that contains Vitamin C and D:
Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant and is known to help in tissue growth and bone regeneration. It is also useful for curing gum related problems. Vitamin D is famous for its anti-inflammatory qualities and is used for treating swollen gums. So, needless to say, eating foods, which have a high content of Vitamin C and D are good for treating bleeding gums.
Salt water gargling:
One of the easiest and simplest home remedies is to gargle with salt water. Take some lukewarm water and add a bit of salt and gargle with it thrice a day. Make sure the water is not hot as it may lead to scalding.
Use Honey:
Honey has been known to have antiseptic as well as antibacterial properties. So, it can be quite effective to treat your gum problems. After you are done with brushing your teeth, take a bit of honey on your fingertips and apply it to the affected areas of your gums. But keep in mind that since honey is extremely rich in sugar, you should apply it only to your gums and not on your teeth because that may lead to tooth decay.
Brush with Cayenne Powder:
Cayenne is an effective antibacterial agent and can be used to kill the bacteria that cause gum bleeding. All you need to do is to put some cayenne powder on your brush. Brushing your teeth with cayenne powder may give a slight stinging feeling, but it is an extremely effective cure for bleeding gums.
Use Lemon Paste:
Use lemon juice along with salt and make a paste out of it to apply to your teeth. Wash off after a few minutes by gargling and rinsing the mouth with warm water. This is an effective remedy because lemons have a lot of qualities that are conducive to treating bleeding gums. They are rich in vitamin C and are also anti-inflammatory.
Quit Smoking:
Teeth and gum problems are majorly common among tobacco users. So, if you happen to be a tobacco user suffering from bleeding gums, then it is time for you to quit taking tobacco.
Apart from these top 10 home remedies, there are certain other points that should be kept in mind if you want to be free of bleeding gums. Research has shown that stress is also a reason for gum infection. Since stress weakens our immune system, it makes it more susceptible to invasion by various bacteria leading to gum problems. So, try and keep stress at bay as much as possible. Always remember to brush your teeth daily after meals. Visit your dentist at least twice a year to prevent all types of teeth and gum related problems.
The best thing is to see a dentist
References:
Where there is no dentist
webmd.com