Have you noticed blood in the sink after you brush your teeth? What about blood on the floss after you’re done flossing? You may think that bleeding gums is something that happens to everyone, but it’s a warning sign for more serious issues. Tyma Trachtenberg Center for Contemporary Dental Health, a dentist in Doylestown, PA, discusses the meaning behind bleeding gums.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
When your gums are bleeding, it’s an indicator that you have inflamed gums and gingivitis. Bleeding gums should always be taken seriously. Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and bleeding gums is one of the earliest indicators. In this stage, you can prevent gum disease from progressing if you heed the symptoms and get seen ASAP.
In addition to bleeding gums, there are other things you should be sure to take note of. If you find yourself having consistent bad breath, that’s a warning sign of gum disease. Receding gums and loose or shifting teeth are indicators as well. You may notice more pain and tenderness when you’re chewing or performing other functions.
Am I at Risk for Gum Disease?
As with many health conditions, some people are more likely to be predisposed than others. If you use tobacco in any form, you’re at a higher risk for gum disease. Poor oral hygiene and being on certain medications can make you more likely as well. Oral hygiene is especially important in making sure that gum disease doesn’t advance to more harmful stages.
Gum Disease Treatment
The treatment available for gum disease depends on how severe each individual case is. If it’s caught extremely early, it can be as simple as upping your oral healthcare practices and using something like an antibacterial mouth rinse. But for cases that are more advanced, there are more extensive treatment options that will be pursued.
When it’s progressed to periodontitis, the first option is scaling and root planing. Scaling and root planing typically go hand in hand. They’re both deep cleaning options that are designed to get rid of bacteria and buildup. Scaling removes plaque and tartar from under the gumline, while root planing smooths out your tooth roots so that the gums reattach to your teeth.
Surgery may be necessary for severe cases. With advanced periodontitis, tooth loss is common. Gum graft surgery can help to prevent this. Tissue is taken from another part of your mouth and is grafted over the tooth roots. This is what can prevent loose teeth or complete tooth loss.
Flap surgery may also be needed. When scaling and root planing aren’t enough to deep clean your gums, flap surgery is an option. If you have deep gum pockets, this is the best option to treat them. During this procedure, your gums are lifted and tartar is cleaned out from underneath them.
Gum Disease Treatment at Your Doylestown, Pennsylvania Dentist
If you have bleeding gums, they shouldn’t be pushed aside and ignored. Call us or schedule an appointment online.