Dentist Questions Bleeding Gums

Bloody painful gums, what should I do?

Over the last month, my gums have been bleeding often and feel very painful. I just started flossing which seems to make it worse. What can I do to help get some relief?

47 Answers

See a dentist as soon as possible to get a proper diagnosis and treatment that will solve your bleeding issues. No magic potion will work.
You need to see your dentist for a complete oral-dental exam, part of the assessment is to determine if you may have gum disease. There may have other health issues and need to have your medical examination as well.
Gums bleed when they are inflamed. You should keep flossing and brushing but get a professional cleaning so the bacteria that your brush and floss can reach can be removed by a hygienist and the inflammation should go away.
When was your last hygiene appointment with your dentist?

Flossing inflamed gums may result in bleeding and soreness of the gums, but it should improve with time.

I would recommend an examination with a dentist to make sure there are no other underlying conditions that can be causing the bleeding and painful gums.
Bleeding painful gum is a sign of gum disease and need to be treated as soon as possible .
X Ray and exam with perio charting needed to identify the severity of perio condition
Most cases respond well with deep cleaning and maintanence , in moderate to severe cases a gum surgery is recommended
Sounds like your gums are inflamed which is sometimes referred to as gingivitis. Swollen gums will bleed when you floss them and can be painful. A thorough evaluation followed by some conservative gum treatment usually solves the issue. At home oral hygiene care and regular professional cleanings is the most effective way to keep your mouth healthy!
Should get an exam ,may have tartar or gum disease or your flossing technique is inadequate, or have a blood problem??
You probably have a gum infection called periodontitis. Periodontitis is the major cause of tooth loss in adults, so you do need to seek help for proper diagnosis and treatment. If you do not have a dentist already, please give us a call - 210-653-3452.
When was the last cleaning done st your dentist office? You may have tartar deposits present under the gums which will cause irritated gums no matter how much you floss. You also may be flossing too vigorously. Flossing will NOT remove tartar buildup. See your dentist!
When is the last time you have a proper hygiene/cleaning appointment done? Healthy tissue should not bleed. Such as the palm of your hands. It will be quite concerning if you wash your hands and your hands start to bleed right? So please go visit your dentist at your nearest convenience. Bleeding gum is usually an indication of inflammation. Do not stop flossing because of the gum bleeds, it usually gets better once the tartar or the source of the issues are taking care of. But please go see your dentist as most inflammation of the gum is treatable. However, if left untreated, your surrounding bony structure can also be affect and at that point (periodontitis), it will be an irreversible process. Good luck.
First you can check with your dentist to make sure nothing major is going on. Then when you first start flossing it will be painful and slowly it will get better once gums become healthier.
Bleeding gums can be very painful. If you have just started flossing, it is completely normal for them to bleed and hurt even more. This happens because your gums are not used to the pressure from the floss. If you continue flossing, the bleeding should lessen and stop after 7-14 days.
Here area some things you can do to help your gums:
1. Get a professional teeth cleaning-this will remove bacteria and tartar that cause your gums to bleed.
2. Brush 2-3 times a day, and floss EVERY day.
3. Rinse with an anti-bacterial mouth rinse like Listerine to further kill the bacteria that cause gum inflammation.
4. While your gums are still sore and bleeding, rinse once a day with warm salt water - this helps to soothe sore gums and promote healing of the gums.
5. Finally, if needed, take Ibuprofen for the pain. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory, and it is inflammation that causes the gums to hurt.
Its hard to say without x rays and checking the gums to see if something is causing the inflammation. Depending on how long it has been since your last cleaning, there could be calcium deposits(calculus) irritating the gums and which would need to be cleaned off. There could be decay or defective fillings or dental work that is irritating the gums. Again, hard to say without an exam. I would seek out a dentist and get an exam to see what is going on. Use a waterpik for a couple days and you can even put a little bit of peroxide in the water tank to help kill the bacteria that may be causing this. This may help the inflammation. But probably a good time to see a dentist.
Couple of things.
1. Oil pulling. See Dr. Mercola's article on using coconut oil
2. Order some Ozonated Olive Oil and brush and floss with that
3. Find a biological dentist through www.IAOMT.org to get exam, x-rays, and professional cleaning.
Hope that helps
Hello! The best piece of advice I can give would be to visit your dental professional. A good hygiene cleaning might be in order, or perhaps something a little deeper like scaling. There are also a number of mouthwashes that will help with the issue. Instead of traditional flossing, water flossers might be a better route to go. There is no pain and it is just effective, if not more than traditional flossing.
If you have bleeding gums, you may have periodontal disease (gum disease) which is best treated with a deep scaling by a hygienist at your dental office. If you have not flossed for awhile, the gums will bleed more initially because they are inflamed, but after a week or two of consistent flossing (and using an anti-bacterial mouth was like Listerine) the bleeding should begin to resolve as the tissues become healthier and the inflammation is reduced.
First I recommend seeing your dentist to get a diagnosis. In the meantime you might wish to use a salt water mouth rinse after each meal and beforehand bed at home.
A hydrogen peroxide based may mouth rinse (around 1%-1.5% hydrogen peroxide) may also be useful as a home measure. Again use it after meals and before bed.
It goes without saying good home based toothbrushing and flossing is a must.
Thank you for your question. Let me start by saying that Healthy gums do not bleed. Any gum bleeding is a form of problem. I did not examine your mouth. However, based on the preliminary information provided, it could be a case of periodontal disease. If it is the case, there is no home remedy for that. A dentist needs to help you as soon as possible since periodontal diseases tend to get worse over time and may lead to tooth loss if left untreated. Precious Smiles Dentistry can help. Dr. Chris Rameau and Dr. Rose Rameau are experts that will work with you to help you regain your gums health and a healthy smile.
Hello,

The first step is to make sure you make an appointment with your dentist. They need to do a full examination and make sure there isn’t any plaque or debris on your teeth around your gums. They can also review with you different techniques of flossing so that you can clean your teeth without damaging your gums. Additionally, many people who haven’t flossed much in the past will experience temporary bleeding from their gums once they incorporate flossing into their oral hygiene regimen. This is because their gums are irritated and inflamed, it’s not an indication to stop flossing. Only your dentist can examine you and then tell you how to proceed. If you need a referral to a dentist, we would be happy to refer you to one.

Thanks,
Dr. Adriano Farina
Hello. When was your last visit to the dentist? When the gums are bleeding, this is a sign of infection. Unless the bacteria, plaque and calculus are removed, the tissues will remain sore. Flossing will help and it is very normal for them to bleed right now when you are flossing, because of the infection. Warm salt water rinses may help for the short term, but I would urge you to go to the dentist for a comprehensive assessment. I hope this helps.
Without examining you and without knowing your medical history, I have to qualify my answer. Assuming you have no medical conditions that could be the cause, then your bleeding gums is most likely an immune response to bacterial plaque on your teeth and under your gums.
You should begin by rinsing several times a day with warm salt water, which will help reduce the inflammation. Next, you need to remove the plaque from your teeth. In my office, we strongly recommend an electric toothbrush along with a water irrigating device (on a gentle setting). At first, you will notice an increase in the bleeding, but as they begin to heal, that should diminish.
Next, I would recommend a visit to a dentist who can do a more thorough evaluation and help you treat your condition.
You should see a dentist. Bleeding gums is an indication of inflammation and can indicate multiple conditions ranging from gingivitis to other systemic conditions. Bleeding should gradually decrease with flossing consistently and correctly. Use of listerine, in addition to flossing also helps to decrease bleeding. You could also have buildup (tartar), that causes irritation (and bleeding) that can be professionally removed by a dental hygienist.
Hi,

Bleeding gums can be caused by many different reasons, but mostly due to plaque accumulation. Plaque contains germs which attack the healthy tissues around the teeth. This will cause the gums to become inflamed and irritated, which may cause them to bleed when brushing or flossing. This is called Gingivitis and is the initial stage of gum disease or periodontitis. You should continue to brush properly for 2 minutes at least 2 times a day with a soft bristled toothbrush. Brush around the gum area gently. You will continue to have gingival bleeding when brushing or flossing, until your gums become healthier. Make an appointment with your dentist and have him/her check your gums and your teeth. Take care.
See a dentist and have your condition evaluated. You may need a cleaning or scaling to remove plaque, biofilms, and hard deposits on your teeth and/or below the gum tissues. This could also be associated with a medical condition. Please get an assessment of your oral health for accurate diagnosis.
There could be several reasons why your gums are swollen and bleeding, but the number one reason is not being seen by a dental professional for a teeth cleaning. Bacteria sits in your gums and once it reaches unsafe levels, your gums will bleed. Until you can get in for a check-up, I would recommend flossing and brushing twice a day.

Bleeding gums is an indication that they are not healthy. This can be a localized issue or an issue with your generalized health.

The best thing to do is see the dentist for a thorough examination to determine why the gums are bleeding. In the meantime, flossing, brushing and warm rinses are the best thing that you could do. Flossing may be uncomfortable and cause bleeding, but you are attempting to clean in between the teeth, which is important.

 
 
 
Your best bet is to get to a dentist who can look at your gums and let you know if you have a case of gingivitis, swollen bleeding gums, or periodontitis whose symptoms are swollen bleeding gums and bone loss. If left untreated, you can loose a tooth or teeth. Until you see the dentist, I would recommend rinsing with a good mouthwash like Listerine for 30 seconds at least 3 times a day. Continue to brush and floss. Initially, flossing can cause more bleeding, but as you remove the bacterial plaque, the bleeding should become less. However, please remember you should not let this go without a dentist looking at you ASAP. If you are in my area (Morristown NJ), we would be happy to help.
Have you had a checkup by a dentist lately? How long has it been since you had your last cleaning? You may have gingivitis or periodontal disease (gum disease).

Best to see a dentist and they'll be able to help you.

If your gums bleed spontaneously, see your physician as well to ensure you are in good health.
This usually signifies you have gum disease. The treatment for this depends on severity of the situation. Usually reversible with a cleaning and regular home care like flossing. Flossing is not making it worse. In fact, you must do it regularly for bleeding to decrease. Please call the office to come in for an evaluation for further explanation.

212-777-1969
Thank you so much for sending your question.

The first thing you need to do is to visit your dentist. There are a lot of diseases that target the gums. The main cause of bleeding gums is the buildup of plaque at the gum line, causing gingivitis. 

If you are under high levels of stress, this can affect your oral health also. Stress increases inflammation in your body, which makes your gums more likely to bleed. High stress levels also reduce your immune system's functionality, making it more difficult for your body to fight infection and to heal.

To keep your gums healthy, brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day and after meals.  Floss at least once a day and be sure to floss beyond the gum line to remove more plaque.  Control bleeding by applying pressure to the area with a cold compress.

But the first step is to make an appointment with your dentist.

Dr Suarez-Zayas
If you notice that your gums are bleeding and suspect that you might have gum disease, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.

Your dentist can confirm the presence of gum disease and come up with a plan to reverse or treat the damage. You should have a good professional cleaning and instruction on how to properly care for your teeth and gums at home. If the gum disease is more advanced, your may require scaling and root planing treatments to remove stubborn plaque and help gums to heal. Medications may also be prescribed in order to reduce the amount of oral bacteria. In serious circumstances, tooth extraction, laser treatments or dental surgery may be required in order to halt the progression of periodontitis.
You should get yourself a waterpik and start using it on the low setting until bleeding dissipates and then you can start increasing setting, but never go above 8. In the meantime, you carry on flossing despite the bleeding and in two weeks two three weeks time your gum health should restore provided you don't have active periodontal disease, which should be assessed at your hygiene visit at your dental home.

One last thing you can do is supplement salt water rinses into your regimen. A warm cup of water with a teaspoon of salt does well. Give yourself a vigorous generous swish after each meal for the next two weeks.

All the best to your gums :-)
The first question I would ask you is "when is the last time you had your teeth cleaned at a dentist's office"? The most common cause for bleeding gums is the accumulation of plaque and tartar above or below the gums. These materials harbor bacteria, which have harmful effects to the gums. The good news is that a thorough, deep cleaning can remove these irritants and restore the gums to a healthy state. It is possible that there may be another cause as well, such as trauma or a systemic health issue, but these are much more rare. I would recommend visiting your local dentist's office for an evaluation of the root cause. Best of luck.
Hi! From what you described you most likely have gingivitis, which is a gum infection. The best way to treat it is to consult your dentist to have a good dental cleaning. After that, just keep having great hygiene and floss every day, and it will most likely go away if there's not other problems that your dentist will detect. In the mid time, keep flossing even if it's bleeding and use salt water twice a day. Hormones can also make your gums bleed, but do a great cleaning and exam first and then your dentist will see if there is other causes. I hope I answered your question to your satisfaction, sorry if my English isn't perfect! Have a great day :)
You should see a dentist as soon as possible, as it seems like you need a checkup and a good cleaning. Make sure you are also shown the best way to brush and floss.
This is a very common question. The best solution is to see a dentist. Just like our skin shouldn't bleed or be painful to touch, neither should our gums. It seems like there is an infection in your gums, which is also known as gum disease. When you see a dentist, they will assess your oral health and give you their best recommendations for a dental cleaning. In the meantime, brush and rinse with salt water to help with the infection. Flossing will cause bleeding until your gums become healthy. Feel free to make an appointment at our clinic by calling (714) 432-0989. Have a great day!
You need to go to a dentist. Sounds like the start of gum disease.

Justin W. Ruffner, DDS
Outer Cape Dental Group
Office (508)349-6300
Cell (508)742-8659
The gums are likely bleeding due to the presence of gingivitis and inflammation around the teeth. If it has been longer than 6 - 8 months since your last dental hygiene visit, then that may help to explain why your gums are inflamed. My best advice would be to consult your local dentist and schedule a hygiene visit. If it has been longer than 18 months or so, it may be necessary for a more involved cleaning to make sure all the bacteria both above and below the gum line is cleaned out.

In the meantime, continuing to brush twice daily and flossing each night is a necessity to maintain your current level of inflammation. Additionally, rinsing with a mouthwash or salt water will help to minimize the bleeding and puffiness of the gums. It's important to remember that your current hygiene will maintain your current inflammation, but only a professional cleaning will be able to remove all residual bacteria.

Hope it helps! :)
Irrigations of the mouth are never fun. Typically when a patient complains of painful, bloody gums, it indicates a form of inflammation. The inflammation can be related to several things ranging from food packing to severe periodontal disease (gum disease).

If you're having localized discomfort, I would suggest having a dentist evaluate to determine if there is debris caught in between your gums. Some foods, like popcorn, seeds, and nuts are notorious for embedding into gum tissue and causing discomfort and bleeding to that particular area. Also, aggressive flossing can cause microscopic cuts or scratches which can lead to pain and bleeding.

If you're having general pain and bleeding, I would advise going to the dentist as you may have a form of gum disease. There are several stages of this disease.

In the mildest cases, gum disease is calling gingivitis. Inadequate oral hygiene often causes gingivitis. Some of the other factors that may contribute to gingivitis include but are not limited to smoking, systemic diseases, and diabetes. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.

However, untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. Over time, plaque can spread and germinate below the gum line. The harmful bacteria in plaque will irritate the gums; these toxins create a chronic inflammatory response. As hard as your body tries to fight the germs, it can not keep up with the rapid population, and the inflammation leaves it impossible to remove all the bacteria without a professional. If left untreated, the tissues and bone that support teeth are broken down and destroyed. Eventually, teeth become mobile because of the lack of supporting structure; this ultimately leads to the extractions.

These are just some of the factors that can contribute to your bleedy, painful gums. I would advise consulting dentist as soon as possible to pinpoint your exact issue.



You need to see a dentist for an evaluation. It sounds like you are suffering from some form of gum disease. Brushing and flossing should help, but bacteria that may be under the gums beyond where you can clean yourself may be why your flossing is not making things better.
While it might feel like the opposite of what you should do, continue to floss every day. It is not uncommon for gums to bleed when you first begin flossing between teeth, and as long as the bleeding stops quickly, it's not usually considered a problem. As the gums continue to get healthier, it is expected that the bleeding should lessen over time. There are other factors so continue reading below.

Several things can cause gums to bleed, including plaque buildup along the gum line and between teeth. Plaque is a layer of sticky bacteria that constantly forms on teeth. If you don't get rid of plaque by flossing daily, it leads hardened plaque deposits (called calculus or tartar) and this leads to gum inflammation called gingivitis. Note that is hard to remove calculus without a dentist's or dental hygienists help through a professional cleaning. So, your first line of defense against bleeding gums should always be a visit with your dentist, who would be able to alert you if there's an underlying condition for your bleeding gums. A dental examination with x-rays can help to determine if there is any tartar buildup and resulting bone loss/ periodontal disease and any next steps for treatment.

Other causes of bleeding gums include vitamin deficiencies, smoking, hormonal changes, etc. so it is difficult to completely determine the exact cause without a professional examination.

In the meantime, eat a well balanced diet to develop and maintain strong, decay-resistant teeth. Brush your teeth at least twice each day and continue to floss. Salt water or antibacterial rinses may also help you in the interim and provide some relief for your painful gums. If you're not sure you're brushing or flossing correctly, you can ask your dental hygienist for some tips, and if you smoke, consider options to help you quit.
When was the last time that you had your teeth professionally cleaned? If it has been a while, that may be the cause.
The best option is to get checked by a Dentist . Bleeding gums are related with gum disease that can be developed due to non effective brushing technique. But in some cases bleeding gums are related with serious systemic conditions.
Best regards,
Raquel Mendez DDS
My best advice is see a dentist as early as possible. Very likely you have a gum disease which can become worse if neglected.

You could rinse your mouth with warm salt water 5 or 6 times a day for a few days, continue to floss and seek professional help, make an appointment with a dentist.
The most common cause of bleeding gums is gingivitis - an inflammatory disease of the gums frequently caused by lack of flossing or infrequent dental visits. Sometimes, if plaque is present around the teeth for long enough, it turns into a hard substance that sticks to the teeth called
calculus. A regular toothbrush cannot clean calculus, you need to see your dentist for a cleaning to get that removed. Hope this helps!
Bleeding is a symptom of inflammation; healthy gums don't bleed. There are multiple reasons why you are having this inflammation, but the most common usually is bacteria in plaque and calculus (tartar) on your teeth. You need to minimize the amount of deposits on your teeth. You should keep flossing and brushing, add some oral rinses as well. The easiest mouth wash is "salt water": rinse with it as many times a day as you can. You also need to see your dentist: a good professional cleaning helps controlling health of your mouth. Let me know about your progress!