How to Prevent Bleeding Gums
Do not forcefully brush your gums., Use a toothbrush with soft bristles., Avoid scraping your gums when you floss., Rinse your mouth with mouthwash daily., Stop smoking immediately., Reduce stress in your daily lifestyle., Eat a nutritionally...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Do not forcefully brush your gums.
While brushing your teeth is an important part of dental hygiene, your gums themselves are made of fairly delicate tissue.
When you brush, be sure to avoid scrubbing your gums, as will damage the tissue and result in bleeding gums.Most people use a fast back and forth motion when brushing their teeth, which can be very harmful for your gums.
When brushing teeth in the front of your mouth, use a gentle circular motion.If you brush from the bottom of your tooth upwards, you risk damaging your gums or causing them to recede.
Place the bristles on your gums and brush those gently as well.
When brushing, put gentle pressure on your teeth; the bristles should bend around the surface of your tooth, but you should not scrape your teeth on the plastic base of the toothbrush.
Brush your teeth for at least two minutes, at least twice a day.
Brush once in the morning (or after your first meal) and once in the evening (or after your last meal). -
Step 2: Use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
To prevent gum damage or inflammation, select a toothbrush that has soft bristles with blunted, nylon ends.
Medium or hard toothbrushes may result in swollen or bleeding gums, and can also damage your tooth enamel leading to high sensitivity problems and even cavities.Follow the same guidance if you use an electric toothbrush.
Look for brush heads marked “soft,” as these will be gentler on your gum tissue.
If your toothbrush bristles become worn or frayed (leaning out to the sides of the plastic base) within two or three months, you’re brushing too hard.
Your toothbrush should last from 3-4 months., Flossing daily is an important part of dental hygiene, as it will remove food and plaque from areas that a toothbrush cannot reach.
When you floss, be gentle on your gums: do not mash the floss hard between your teeth, but curve the floss around each tooth, and carefully slide it up and down.
Avoid excessive contact between the floss and your gums and don't rush.
Check in the mirror to see if you are doing it properly until you get used to flossing.If you haven’t flossed in a while, your gums may bleed lightly the first few times you floss.
This is normal, and a sign that your gums are tender from the lack of flossing.
However, after a few days of regular flossing, your gums will toughen up and stop bleeding. , Regular mouthwash use will keep your teeth and gums clean and prevent the buildup of plaque, and will also kill the bacteria that buildup to cause gum disease.Because mouthwash that contains rubbing alcohol can dry out your gums and actually increase their likelihood of bleeding, look for mouthwashes that don’t contain alcohol and that contain an antibacterial ingredient called chlorhexidine.Alternately, rinse your mouth with salt water or hydrogen peroxide.
These do not contain alcohol, but will still clean your gums and teeth, eliminating any debris or plaque that can cause inflammation of the gums and pain. , Even if you have great dental hygiene, smoking puts you at risk for gum disease and can cause your gums to bleed regularly.
Unhealthy chemicals from the tobacco smoke can leave toxins on your gums and teeth, and these toxins are hard to remove through brushing and flossing.Given time, toxins and irritants can cause frequent gum bleeding.
Nicotine also causes the blood vessels to contract, which weakens the antibacterial barrier between your teeth and gums.
Chewing tobacco can also have disastrous results for your gums and teeth, so avoid this habit as well.
To quit smoking, slowly wean yourself off of cigarettes using nicotine patches or gum.
Also, try to replace smoking with another, healthier habit—if you want a cigarette, eat a light snack (such as a carrot stick) instead. , A high-stress lifestyle can have a negative effect on the health of your gums, as stress will increase inflammation throughout your body, including your gum tissue, and stress can also raise your blood sugar, which can also lead to diabetes.This inflamed tissue is likely to bleed.
Stress also weakens the body’s immune system.
This can increase your risk of gingivitis.
To decrease stress in your daily life:
Spend less time watching television and using your phone in the morning and evening.
Spend time outdoors daily, even if it’s just a short walk around the block.
If you work in an office, avoid eating lunch at your desk.
Get outside and move around. , Eating well will keep your gums healthy and strong.
Remember to eat at least one serving of fruits or vegetables daily.Also, eat foods with plenty of vitamin C, as this can directly affect the health of your gums.
Lack of vitamin C causes bleeding, swollen gums, and periodontitis leading also to less protection against bacteria.
Vitamin C is found in foods including:
Leafy greens and bell peppers.
Citrus fruits and berries.
Vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes. , Since there is no pain associated with gum disease, you’ll need to track other symptoms.Bleeding gums are the primary symptom of gum disease, and nearly always accompany both gingivitis and periodontitis.
Visit your dentist promptly if you notice frequently bleeding gums or any of the following symptoms:
Frequent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth.
Shifting or loose teeth—especially if they move or fit together differently in your mouth.
Empty pockets forming between your teeth and gums that may leak pus. , Bleeding gums and gum disease are most frequently caused by long-term plaque buildup along the base of your teeth and gum-line.This can be prevented by correct dental hygiene habits (brushing and flossing).
Gum disease is a progressive illness; although it starts out mildly, it can quickly become severe.
After the bone is affected, there are different stages of evolution in which periodontitis can be very aggressive and lead to complete loss of your teeth if not treated properly.
Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease.
Gingivitis is relatively mild, and at this point, the gum disease can still be reversed through gum-disease treatment.Once gum disease worsens, it moves past gingivitis and becomes periodontitis, which seriously weakens your gums and jaw bones.
Periodontitis cannot be reversed, and often leads to tooth loss., Your dentist will be able to examine your gum tissue and let you know if you are experiencing gum disease.
Gum disease itself is not painful, so diagnoses may be unexpected.
For this reason, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your dentist twice a year, roughly every 6 months.In addition to offering potential diagnoses, your dentist will also thoroughly clean your teeth, including removing the plaque from hard-to-reach areas around and beneath your gums.
Gum disease is relatively common—more than 75% of adult Americans over the age of 35 suffer from gingivitis. -
Step 3: Avoid scraping your gums when you floss.
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Step 4: Rinse your mouth with mouthwash daily.
-
Step 5: Stop smoking immediately.
-
Step 6: Reduce stress in your daily lifestyle.
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Step 7: Eat a nutritionally healthy diet.
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Step 8: Be attentive to discomfort or changes in your mouth.
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Step 9: Keep plaque from building up on your teeth.
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Step 10: Visit your dentist regularly.
Detailed Guide
While brushing your teeth is an important part of dental hygiene, your gums themselves are made of fairly delicate tissue.
When you brush, be sure to avoid scrubbing your gums, as will damage the tissue and result in bleeding gums.Most people use a fast back and forth motion when brushing their teeth, which can be very harmful for your gums.
When brushing teeth in the front of your mouth, use a gentle circular motion.If you brush from the bottom of your tooth upwards, you risk damaging your gums or causing them to recede.
Place the bristles on your gums and brush those gently as well.
When brushing, put gentle pressure on your teeth; the bristles should bend around the surface of your tooth, but you should not scrape your teeth on the plastic base of the toothbrush.
Brush your teeth for at least two minutes, at least twice a day.
Brush once in the morning (or after your first meal) and once in the evening (or after your last meal).
To prevent gum damage or inflammation, select a toothbrush that has soft bristles with blunted, nylon ends.
Medium or hard toothbrushes may result in swollen or bleeding gums, and can also damage your tooth enamel leading to high sensitivity problems and even cavities.Follow the same guidance if you use an electric toothbrush.
Look for brush heads marked “soft,” as these will be gentler on your gum tissue.
If your toothbrush bristles become worn or frayed (leaning out to the sides of the plastic base) within two or three months, you’re brushing too hard.
Your toothbrush should last from 3-4 months., Flossing daily is an important part of dental hygiene, as it will remove food and plaque from areas that a toothbrush cannot reach.
When you floss, be gentle on your gums: do not mash the floss hard between your teeth, but curve the floss around each tooth, and carefully slide it up and down.
Avoid excessive contact between the floss and your gums and don't rush.
Check in the mirror to see if you are doing it properly until you get used to flossing.If you haven’t flossed in a while, your gums may bleed lightly the first few times you floss.
This is normal, and a sign that your gums are tender from the lack of flossing.
However, after a few days of regular flossing, your gums will toughen up and stop bleeding. , Regular mouthwash use will keep your teeth and gums clean and prevent the buildup of plaque, and will also kill the bacteria that buildup to cause gum disease.Because mouthwash that contains rubbing alcohol can dry out your gums and actually increase their likelihood of bleeding, look for mouthwashes that don’t contain alcohol and that contain an antibacterial ingredient called chlorhexidine.Alternately, rinse your mouth with salt water or hydrogen peroxide.
These do not contain alcohol, but will still clean your gums and teeth, eliminating any debris or plaque that can cause inflammation of the gums and pain. , Even if you have great dental hygiene, smoking puts you at risk for gum disease and can cause your gums to bleed regularly.
Unhealthy chemicals from the tobacco smoke can leave toxins on your gums and teeth, and these toxins are hard to remove through brushing and flossing.Given time, toxins and irritants can cause frequent gum bleeding.
Nicotine also causes the blood vessels to contract, which weakens the antibacterial barrier between your teeth and gums.
Chewing tobacco can also have disastrous results for your gums and teeth, so avoid this habit as well.
To quit smoking, slowly wean yourself off of cigarettes using nicotine patches or gum.
Also, try to replace smoking with another, healthier habit—if you want a cigarette, eat a light snack (such as a carrot stick) instead. , A high-stress lifestyle can have a negative effect on the health of your gums, as stress will increase inflammation throughout your body, including your gum tissue, and stress can also raise your blood sugar, which can also lead to diabetes.This inflamed tissue is likely to bleed.
Stress also weakens the body’s immune system.
This can increase your risk of gingivitis.
To decrease stress in your daily life:
Spend less time watching television and using your phone in the morning and evening.
Spend time outdoors daily, even if it’s just a short walk around the block.
If you work in an office, avoid eating lunch at your desk.
Get outside and move around. , Eating well will keep your gums healthy and strong.
Remember to eat at least one serving of fruits or vegetables daily.Also, eat foods with plenty of vitamin C, as this can directly affect the health of your gums.
Lack of vitamin C causes bleeding, swollen gums, and periodontitis leading also to less protection against bacteria.
Vitamin C is found in foods including:
Leafy greens and bell peppers.
Citrus fruits and berries.
Vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes. , Since there is no pain associated with gum disease, you’ll need to track other symptoms.Bleeding gums are the primary symptom of gum disease, and nearly always accompany both gingivitis and periodontitis.
Visit your dentist promptly if you notice frequently bleeding gums or any of the following symptoms:
Frequent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth.
Shifting or loose teeth—especially if they move or fit together differently in your mouth.
Empty pockets forming between your teeth and gums that may leak pus. , Bleeding gums and gum disease are most frequently caused by long-term plaque buildup along the base of your teeth and gum-line.This can be prevented by correct dental hygiene habits (brushing and flossing).
Gum disease is a progressive illness; although it starts out mildly, it can quickly become severe.
After the bone is affected, there are different stages of evolution in which periodontitis can be very aggressive and lead to complete loss of your teeth if not treated properly.
Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease.
Gingivitis is relatively mild, and at this point, the gum disease can still be reversed through gum-disease treatment.Once gum disease worsens, it moves past gingivitis and becomes periodontitis, which seriously weakens your gums and jaw bones.
Periodontitis cannot be reversed, and often leads to tooth loss., Your dentist will be able to examine your gum tissue and let you know if you are experiencing gum disease.
Gum disease itself is not painful, so diagnoses may be unexpected.
For this reason, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your dentist twice a year, roughly every 6 months.In addition to offering potential diagnoses, your dentist will also thoroughly clean your teeth, including removing the plaque from hard-to-reach areas around and beneath your gums.
Gum disease is relatively common—more than 75% of adult Americans over the age of 35 suffer from gingivitis.
About the Author
Ann Sullivan
Writer and educator with a focus on practical crafts knowledge.
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