When it comes to your oral health, ensuring you have a white smile and fresh breath isn’t the be-all and end-all of your hygiene routine. A good routine can be good for your overall mouth health, but there are always factors which may cause other issues to develop. Bleeding gums is one of the most alarming symptoms that your oral health may need some additional attention.
To help ease bleeding gums, we would recommend a few of the following tips alongside regular visits to your dental hygienist.
Looking after your teeth and gums at home is the most important and easiest way of preventing and treating bleeding gums. We recommend using an electric toothbrush, interdental brushes and floss to remove plaque bacteria that causes gum irritation.
A healthy diet can be beneficial in several ways. It can help us to maintain a healthy weight, improve our mental outlook and, yes, it can even ensure we have better oral hygiene. Reducing your intake of bread, sweets and fizzy drinks can be the first step. Whole foods such as nuts, vegetables and fruits naturally have the nutrients that can best support your gum health.
Of course, if you have dietary restrictions for whatever reason there is no guarantee that you will get all of the necessary ingredients needed to help stop bleeding gums. Boosting your system with nutritional supplements such as vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium and calcium can all work to improve your gum health. Which, in turn, can help reduce your risk of bleeding gums.
Smoking is associated with many long-term health issues, certain cancers and heart disease for example, but it can also be damaging for your oral health. In fact, some studies suggest that it does exasperate gum disease over a long period. Toxins found in cigarettes can be damaging in themselves, but also cause inflammation. Which can be both irritable and cause gum disease.
Stopping smoking is no easy task, requiring both a strong will and the support of all those around you. But for the sake of controlling your gum health and improving your oral health, it can be the most effective thing you ever do.
If you have banged your mouth or in the vicinity–whether by accident or in a sports-related incident–you may find your bleeding gums are not a dental issue at all. In some cases, a simple cold compress on the affected area can be all that is needed to help reduce any swelling. And this will eventually stop the bleeding.
However, if you feel that the bleeding is overly persistent or you worry that a tooth may be loose, then booking an appointment with one of our dentists is recommended.
Stress can harm both our mental and physical state without us realising. Surprisingly, stress can cause inflammation throughout your body; including in your gums. This can then make it likelier for your gums to bleed. The effectiveness of your immune system can also be impaired during periods of stress, preventing your body from fighting infections or healing at its normal rate. This can then lead to issues such as persistent bleeding gums.
Poor mental wellbeing can also cause you to reduce your normal levels of self-care. That means a potentially bad oral routine, skipping regular hygienist cleaning and a general build-up of plaque or other issues.
On the whole, many of these tips are basic and good advice for living an all-around healthy lifestyle. But it is only regularly visiting your oral hygienist that will allow you to ensure your bleeding gums don’t develop into a much more serious issue. Our dental hygiene team can show you how to effectively clean your teeth and gums to prevent any problems from developing in the first place.
The hygienist team here at Dental Solutions understand the everyday issues that can come to affect your oral hygiene. Book your consultation today either by calling our reception on 01925 756565 or through our contact form.
