Causes of Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums can happen every time you brush your teeth. This may be an indication of underlying dental problems, or a sign of poor oral health. The symptoms vary from one case to another and that is why it is better to treat the bleeding gums before it can cause other problems. It is also ideal to visit the dentist once bleeding occurs. The Orange County Dental Clinic can help in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral problems.

Here are the most common causes of bleeding gums:

1.       Poor teeth alignment and positioning

Crooked and misaligned teeth can damage the cells in the gums resulting to bleeding. This happens whenever a new tooth emerges or when the teeth begin to move due to different causes. One of the most common cases of teeth misalignment is the emergence of an impacted tooth. An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to erupt in the dental arch. This is mostly due to excessive soft tissue, inadequate arch length, genetic abnormality and many others.

2.       Trauma

Accidents can lead to profuse bleeding especially when the mouth is affected. Also, heavy brushing with hard-tooth brushes can lead to bleeding. It is good to recognize the ability of the gums to handle force. There are people who can tolerate using hard brushes while others need to use soft-bristled toothbrushes.

3.       Vitamin deficiency

A bleeding gum can actually be an indication of vitamin deficiency, particularly vitamins C and K. Lack of Vitamin C is called scurvy, a condition of experiencing painful and swollen gums. People with Vitamin K deficiency commonly experiences gum bleeding as this vitamin is responsible for blood clotting.

4.       Poor oral hygiene

This is the most common cause of bleeding gums. Gums become inflamed whenever plaques build-up on the teeth. That is why it is very important to brush daily and floss daily as small food particles can be trapped in-between teeth. The food traps will then become the feeding source of bacteria causing different oral problems.

Other causes are liver disease, long-term medications, genetics and even cancer. Be sure to prevent bleeding gums from happening by visiting the Orange County Dental Clinic for the correct diagnosis.