If you ever notice your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth, you may ignore it or think that it is normal. However, bleeding gums are often an indication of some underlying issue.
Factors like brushing too vigorously may damage the gums. Gum inflammation will lead to redness, swelling, and tenderness, and it tends to be a sign of periodontal disease.
Identifying the reason for bleeding gums is the key to determining the most appropriate line of treatment. Once the causative reason is ascertained, you can pick among these five possible approaches to stop the bleeding or damage to the pinks of your smile.
1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Bleeding gums might be an indication of poor dental hygiene.
Gums hurt and bleed when there’s an excessive development of plaque around the gum line. Plaque is an inevitable sticky film containing bacteria that wets your teeth and gums. Furthermore, if you don’t brush or floss effectively, the bacteria can spread and cause tooth decay or gum disease.
2. Rinse Your Mouth with Chlorhexidine
You may keep chlorhexidine handy to use as an oral disinfectant. It also removes plaque, promotes gum well-being, and helps to control gum bleeding. Regular use of chlorhexidine after brushing may be highly useful in the reduction of bleeding. However, one must take caution not to swallow the rinsing solution.
Gingivitis or gum disease is an inflammation of the gums, and this condition can cause swelling, bleeding, and receding gums. According to one study,ll people who rinsed with chlorhexidine had lesser gum inflammation.
3. Increase Your Intake of Vitamin C
Eating foods rich in vitamin C can fortify your immune system and help fight off the gum infections that cause bleeding gums.
On the other hand, deficiency of vitamin C in your daily routine may intensify bleeding if you have gum disease whether you maintain great oral habits.
Foods Rich In Vitamin C Include:
- Oranges
- Sweet potatoes
- Red peppers
- Carrots
You can consult with your doctor about taking vitamin C supplements. The prescribed daily amount of vitamin C for adults is somewhere in the range of 65 and 90 milligrams per day.
4. Increase Your Intake of Vitamin K
Taking a vitamin K supplement may also mitigate bleeding gums. Vitamin K is a critical supplement since it enables your blood to clot. An insufficiency can cause more bleeding than anticipated, and one investigation found that it might be a cause of gum bleeding.
Foods Rich In Vitamin K Include:
- Spinach
- Collard greens
- Kale
- Mustard greens
As per the specialists, adult men should get 120 micro-grams and ladies should get 90 micro-grams of vitamin K every day.
5. Rinse Your Mouth with Salt Water
Since bacteria and inflammation in the mouth causes gum sickness, usually cleaning your mouth with warm salt water may also decrease bacteria and stop gum bleeding.
Take a glass of warm water, add a pinch of salt to it and use it on a regular basis to rinse your mouth for three to four times each day. If bleeding is happening due to trauma or injury, rinsing with a salt-water mixture also keeps your mouth clean and evacuates bacteria that could cause infection.
When should you See a Doctor?
See a dental specialist if gum bleeding doesn’t stop within 7 to 10 days. You may require a deep dental cleaning to expel plaque and tartar and promote gum healing.
Your Oral Health specialist may also order few lab tests to check for any vitamin lacks that maybe affecting your gum health.
