Have you noticed your gums bleeding lately? Maybe after your brushing or during your flossing routine? No need to worry just yet. There are multiple factors that can cause gums to bleed. Let’s look at a few reasons and understand what’s happening with these bleeding gums. Then we can determine whether it’s time to contact your dentist at MaDental & Associates and make an appointment.

Pregnancy

There’s a lot of excitement and celebration when you’re expecting! It’s not so surprising that Pregnancy Gingivitis tends to be all but forgotten. It’s important to remember that it can and does happen. Hormones are changing and amplifying which changes our bodies response to bacteria. The breakdown process may look a little different now which can cause the gums to swell and bleed when they didn’t before. It’s extremely important to continue to practice good oral hygiene habits (especially the women with morning sickness) and to see your dentist regularly for scheduled dental cleanings.

Dental Care Routine:

Have you recently started to reintroduce flossing back into your routine? Or maybe you’ve switched from a soft bristled brush to a firm bristled brush. These changes in dental routine can cause the gums to react and bleed. This is because you’re performing a more invasive cleaning approach than what your mouth is used to. As you regularly practice these oral hygiene routines your gums will adapt and quit bleeding. However, if they continue to bleed it may be time to seek help from your dental team.

Medical:

Have you been experiencing health symptoms and now your gums are bleeding too? It’s possible that your gums can be bleeding as part of a preexisting illness. It is even more likely that your gums could be bleeding due to medications you are taking as well. If you are taking a new medicine or if you are experiencing bleeding gums along with other symptoms it may be time to consult your dentist and physician to get to the root of the problem.

Gingivitis:

If your gums are swollen, sore, or are easily irritated and bleed during brushing it could be a sign that you have gingivitis. Gingivitis is the precursor to gum disease and though treatable, should not be taken lightly. Gingivitis occurs when residual plaque on teeth infects the gums and can cause serious damage. Combating gingivitis before it develops into gum disease by making an appointment with your dentist and honing in on your oral hygiene.

Bleeding gums can occur due to a variety of reasons. No need to panic or worry.. Stop and think about your oral hygiene routine and go through the mental checklist to see if there is something that has changed and could be affecting your gums. Note if there are any contributing factors as to why they might be bleeding. If you’ve gone through the list and you feel like the bleeding is consistent and severe it is time to consult your local dentist at MaDental & Associates in Miami and set up an appointment and combat dental disease.