Common Causes of Bleeding Gums

You don’t need to be a dentist in Longmont, CO to know that healthy gums shouldn’t bleed after eating, brushing, or flossing. In fact, healthy gum tissue should have a nice light pink color and shouldn’t appear as red, swollen, or inflamed. If your gums bleed it could be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. No matter the cause, bleeding gums should always receive treatment from our team at Twin Peaks Family Dentistry.

To help you get a better idea of what could cause your gums to bleed, here are some of the most common causes of this condition.

Gum Disease

Bleeding gums is one of the most common and earliest signs of early stage gum disease, or gingivitis. When the cavity causing bacteria known as plaque builds up on the surface of your teeth, your gums can become inflamed. This inflammation results in the development of gingivitis. While typically painless and symptom-free, gingivitis can be easily missed unless you start to notice bleeding from your gum tissue.

Despite the temptation to ignore gingivitis, the disease can progress into the far more serious periodontitis if not properly treated. Periodontitis causes the deterioration of the gum tissue and bone structure that holds our teeth into position and ranks as they leading cause of permanent tooth loss in adults in the U.S.

Fortunately, gum disease can be avoided by brushing and flossing daily, and by scheduling regular cleanings and exams with your dentist in Longmont, CO.

Smoking

Smoking continues to rank as the most destructive habit for the long-term health of your teeth and gums. Smokers have a higher risk of developing bleeding gums because they have a higher overall risk of developing gum disease when compared to nonsmokers.

Smoking increases the risk of periodontal disease for a variety of reasons. Inhaled smoke can leave irritating toxins on the surface of teeth that can be hard to remove even by brushing and flossing. These unhealthy substances can cause the gums to become inflamed and to bleed easily. Smokers also develop a weakened immune system that lowers their body’s ability to fight off infection and impairs its ability to heal.

Imbalanced Diet

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle includes eating a balanced diet that doesn’t contain an excess of added sugars. Overall, a balanced diet is the key for not only a healthy body, but a healthy mouth as well.

Diets high in sugar provide plaque, a sticky biofilm that builds up on the surface of our teeth, with the fuel needed to produce harmful substances that slowly erode away at our enamel. Over time, plaque buildup can cause gum tissue to become irritated, swollen, and to bleed.

Cutting back on the amount of sugars we consume and replacing those items with fresh fruits and vegetables can make a significant difference to lowering our risk for gum disease.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, a woman’s body goes through a constantly shifting state of hormonal fluctuation. These hormonal changes can increase a woman’s risk of developing gum disease. So called “pregnancy gingivitis” frequently develops in a woman’s second trimester and could be a consistent issue if not properly treated. One study found that mothers who developed gum disease during pregnancy were still dealing with the disease a full year after giving birth.

The fact that a mother’s oral health may be impacted during pregnancy makes it imperative that women continue to receive dental care through every stage. Most types of dental treatments and even X-rays are totally safe for expectant mothers. If you have any questions about your oral health during your pregnancy make sure to ask your dentist in Longmont, CO.

You Don’t Brush or Floss Enough

Daily brushing and flossing continue to rank as the best habits for lowering your risk of developing gum disease. Brushing helps to remove plaque from building up on the surface of your teeth, while flossing works to remove food and bacteria from between your teeth. Failing to take your oral health seriously can lead to the early stage of gingivitis that could cause lasting damage to occur.

Bleeding gums may seem like a mild annoyance but can actually mean far more to the long-term health of your teeth and gums than you might think. If you deal with bleeding gums, you need to schedule an appointment with your dentist in Longmont, CO today.