Bleeding Gums Are Not Normal

 

Fallacies exist about bleeding gums. They usually come about because people want to ignore the problem. Many people simply do not want to believe bleeding gums are not normal. They think if they forget about it, it will go away. This is not the case. The problems indicated by bleeding gums will not disappear. More importantly, the cause or causes of bleeding gums will continue to exist.

What Causes Bleeding Gums?

There are several possible causes for bleeding gums. You could suffer from a medical problem such as hemophilia. You could have diabetes or Van Willebrand’s disease. There is also the possibility that your medication can be the cause. If you are on blood thinners, for example, your gums may bleed. Oral cancer, hormonal changes and vitamin deficiencies can also result in bleeding gums.

Yet, the major cause of bleeding gums is the growth of bacteria in the mouth. If you do not take proper care of your gums, bacteria will increase. If it does, the following will occur:

• Bacteria will continue to grow
• As they increase in numbers, they release toxins into your gum tissue
• Your gums become sensitive. They are swollen and may begin to bleed when brushing occurs
• Bacteria also begin to form a whitish-grey sticky substance on your teeth. This is plaque
• Plaque grows on your teeth. As it does so, further toxins enter your tissue and create pockets in your gums. This begins to separate the placement of your teeth
• It becomes difficult to eat hard foods such as fruit without noticing the changes in your teeth
• Tartar takes the place of some plaque
• Overtime, you develop constant bad breath
• Bacteria continue to release toxins, the gap between your teeth and gums widen, becoming visible.
• As the gaps becomes larger, your teeth begin to loosen
• When the gum disease enters its serious stages, you may lose teeth as they fall out

Bleeding gums is part of a process called gum disease. In the beginning, your gums may bleed only when brushing. Later, they may bleed when you eat. Touching your gums may hurt and cause bleeding to occur.  The more sensitive your gums become, the more advanced the disease is. You will progress over time from the early stages of gum disease – gingivitis, to the later stages – periodontitis. Periodontitis has no cure. There is no remedy, only a treatment. This may include the replacement of your teeth.

If you are suffering from bleeding gums, you may have gingivitis. Your dentist can help you treat it. You, yourself, can create a plan to make bleeding gums a thing of the past. The plan is a thorough and proper dental oral hygiene program and continous maintenance.

Ending The Abnormality Of Bleeding Gums

Once you recognize bleeding gums to be abnormal, you are on your way to getting rid of them and gum disease. After you consider what causes your gums to bleed, you can treat it immediately. It all starts, easily enough with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Simply brush your teeth everyday with recommended toothpaste, such as all-natural botanical product. Combine this with daily flossing using the correct width of floss. Add to it a daily rinse or gargle with non-alcohol-based mouthwash or plain salt water.

The final ingredient to this gum disease free program involves your dentist. Be sure to see Dr. Steppler once a year for a dental check-up, followed with visits twice annually to our dental hygienist. This is for your teeth cleaning. We will make sure all plaque is gone and your mouth is healthy. Follow our regular hygiene program schedule, and you should say farewell forever to bleeding gums.

Conclusion

Bleeding gums are not normal. They are a symptom of a more serious problem. Once the cause is identified, we can treat it. Treatment usually involves the daily execution of a proper dental oral hygiene program. If you stick with this program, you can keep bleeding gums from being a “normal” part of your life.

Choosing a Toothpaste

Just the number of options you have when you buy a tube of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control? Fluoride? Both? Gel or Paste?  And don't forget to think about whitening toothpastes or formulas with all natural ingredients.

When it comes to choosing the best toothpaste for you, it's important to think about your unique oral health needs.

Toothpaste basics

Toothpaste, also known as dentifrice, is available in paste, gel, or powder form. Despite the many types of toothpastes that exist, there are some ingredients common to most varieties. These include:

• Abrasive agents. Scratchy materials, including calcium carbonate and silicates, help remove food, bacteria, and some stains from your teeth.
• Flavoring. Artificial sweeteners, including saccharin, are often added to toothpaste to make them taste better. While many people equate the flavor of toothpaste with mint, toothpaste is available in a variety of flavors, including cinnamon, lemon-lime, and even bubblegum (for kids -- or kids at heart).
• Humectants for moisture retention. Paste and gel formulations often contain substances like glycerol to prevent the toothpaste from drying out.
• Thickeners. Agents that add thickness to the toothpaste, including gums and gooey molecules found in some seaweeds, help achieve and maintain proper toothpaste texture.
• Detergents. Those suds you see when you brush your teeth are from detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate.

Fluoride toothpaste

The most important ingredient to look for when choosing toothpaste is fluoride.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral. Its use has been instrumental in the dramatic drop in tooth decay and cavity occurrence that has taken place over the past 50 years. Bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars and starches that remain on your teeth after eating. Fluoride helps protect your teeth from the acid that is released when this happens. It does this in two ways. First, fluoride makes your tooth enamel stronger and less likely to suffer acid damage. Second, it can reverse the early stages of acid damage by remineralizing areas that have started to decay.

Using fluoride toothpaste is an important way to ensure that your teeth are reaping the benefits of this dental-friendly mineral. Don't think you can skip fluoride if you live in an area where the water is fluoridated. Studies have shown that using fluoride toothpaste helps increase the concentration of fluoride in the teeth, even in areas with water supplies containing high levels of the mineral.

Why You Should See Your Dentist

Your dental exam can detect early signs of diseases.  Gum disease may be associated with other health problems like diabetes and heart disease. 

Oral health check-ups can detect tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer early.  Have dental exams at every stage of your life, you could have gum disease and not know it.  Also patients who wear dentures should have regular dental check-ups.

Five great reasons to get you your teeth cleaned:

1)  to learn about the best way to keep your teeth clean every day

2)  to keep your mouth healthy, which will help keep your whole body healthy

3)  to help prevent gum disease, which chould cause tooth loss

4)  to remove tartar (a hard build-up that makes it tough to clean your teeth)

5)  to get rid of stains on teeth that cannot be removed just by brushing and flossing

At every exam Dr. Steppler does, we check your mouth and neck for signs of disease.  Dr. Steppler will evaluate your general health when developing a plan for your oral treatment, and refer you to a physician if needed.

Your oral health is an important part of your overall health, so be sure you and your family come in for regular visits.

Got Bad Breath?

If bad breath is an issue with you or someone you love, you may want to consider looking into a fairly new product called BreathRx Mouthwash. In fact, the company that makes this rinse also provides other products to help with bad breath. Just what separates this company from the rest? The answer lies in their complete line of products. Consider their toothpaste, which offers the benefits of regular toothpaste, such as fluoride and tarter protection. However, this company offers one more thing that regular toothpaste makers do not. They have Zytex in their toothpaste. Zytex is a trade mark ingredient in their products. It delivers fresh breath protection like no other dental product around ever has.

Zytex is in their mouthwash, as well. With their mouthwash's dual fresh breath system, your breath stays fresh all day long. This is how it works: BreathRx mouthwash contains two secret weapons for ridding the mouth of unwanted, odor-causing bacteria. The first weapon is Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC). This compound is known for killing the bacteria that causes bad breath. It is primarily an antiseptic, and while it is used in a number of mouthwash products, it can also be found in over-the-counter medications. The second special ingredient is Zytex. Zytex neutralizes the remaining odors. When you rinse with this product, you can feel confident that your mouth is being cleaned thoroughly. You can see why they call this product "the dual fresh breath system." In addition, this product will clean your teeth and keep your mouth fresh, without the unnecessary additives such as alcohol and sugar.

BreathRx is dentist developed and recommended by registered dental hygienists, BreathRx with ZYTEX is clinically proven to deliver longer-lasting fresh breath than leading brands.  BreathRx fights bad breath by attacking it at the source, not just masking it with flavor.  By discovering BreathRx you've taken the first step to life-long fresh breath and improved oral health.  Ask your hygienist or dentist today about BreathRx!