Why Do My Gums Bleed?

For almost 25 years we’re repeatedly asked some similar questions, it is obvious that there is a real need to publish some of the most common questions and our answers.  For the next few months, our Hanson Dentistry Blog will attempt to clarify some of these common inquiries.

Q. Why do my gums bleed?

A. When your gums bleed it is a sign of inflammation, which is our bodies response to an irritant.  The irritant is plaque and biofilm which is a coating of bacteria and their toxins that are causing your bodies immune system to activate.  This is much like having a cut that is not clean, if this is left uncleaned the bacteria and toxins lead to an infection with pus, more bleeding and tissue destruction.

In the worse case outside of the mouth, this infection can become flesh eating and lead to death.  In your mouth, the infection destroys the supporting bone around the infected teeth and leads to premature tooth loss.

The most difficult issue is the fact that often this disease is quiet and the destruction creeps up on you.  The damage is often irreversible, which means that it can be managed and controlled but not cured.

There have been many suggested links between your oral health and your overall health, some of the evidence points towards a direct link between gum disease and heart disease.

The best recommendation is to immediately visit the Dentist if you notice bleeding in your mouth, it is not normal!  If we ask ourselves, would we tolerate any sort of chronic bleeding elsewhere with our bodies?  It is doubtful, this may sound self-serving in that I am encouraging you to visit the Dentist more often, however catching gingivitis early can be reversed and is much less costly than managing the damage from gum disease.

Posted By:
Dr.Douglas T. Hanson
Dr. Douglas Hanson is a Greater City of Sudbury area Dentist driven by lifelong learning, advanced technologies, and online marketing. In addition to the obvious, Dr.Hanson has lectured and presented to audiences on topics such as; leadership from within, temporal mandibular disorders, implant dentistry, obstructive sleep apnea and most recently on world class customer service. Writing about some of these topics on social media and online has provided a new avenue for Dr.Hanson to share his passion for both dental subject matter, as well as leadership and personal awareness and enhancement. Check out his Twitter and Facebook feeds and allow Dr. Doug to share his passion!