How to Avoid Bleeding Gums

Have you ever flossed your teeth and noticed that your gums are bleeding?  Have you wondered what that meant, or did you just assume it was normal?  At Modern Dental Solutions your London, KY dentist can help you answer these questions and more.

The thing is… bleeding gums are never normal.  It is a sign of irritation, or worse, an infection. Your gums shouldn’t bleed when you floss.  The common cause for this is that you aren’t a regular flosser.  As part of your daily routine and oral health care regimen, you need to floss every day.  When you don’t floss regularly, your gums quickly become irritated and the result is the blood you see.

So how do you avoid bleeding gums?

1. Establish a daily oral health care routine. Brush two times each day for at least two minutes and floss once per day.
2. Opt for a healthy diet. What you put in your mouth goes a long way in oral health care.  Vegetables and fruits contain the vitamins and nutrients needed for healthy bones, gums, and teeth.
3. Schedule (and show up for) your dental cleaning appointments with our London, KY dentist and hygienist. Professional teeth cleanings twice each year helps prevent gum disease, an infection that causes your gums to bleed.
4. Stop smoking. Smoking is a cancer risk but also causes bacteria and toxins to enter your mouth and bloodstream.  These carcinogens inflame gums and decrease your body’s natural response to preventing infections by decreasing the strength of your immune system.

When you practice good oral hygiene, you’re eliminating the risks associated with poor hygiene.  Without proper oral care, you open yourself to:

• Cavities: Brushing and flossing removes plaque and bacteria which can lead to a cavity.
• Oral cancer: Office visits offer oral cancer screening in order to proactively catch problems associated with oral cancer before they occur.
• Gingivitis: The inflammation of your gums leads to, if left untreated, periodontal disease. Brushing and flossing removes plaque that causes gingivitis and keeps your gums pink and healthy.
• Periodontal disease: Gingivitis can advance to periodontal disease which leads to the destruction of healthy tissue and bone in your mouth as your immune systems attempts to fend off the bacteria and inflammation. Tooth loss and bone degeneration occur in this stage.  We can help mitigate periodontal disease with our Periodontics Service.

Keeping your gums and teeth healthy is the best way to avoid any problems associated with poor oral hygiene.  The cost of prevention is pennies when compared with expensive surgeries and specialist visits in order to treat gum disease.  With proper oral health care, you’ll circumvent bad breath, heart problems, your risk of stroke, oral cancer, and of course, gingivitis.

Dr. Cynthia, our London, KY dentist encourages healthy oral routines and cleanings.  At Modern Dental Solutions, we want your smile at its best!  Call to schedule your appointment today and follow us on Facebook to keep up with our team.