Home Remedies For Bleeding Gums

*Gasp! My gums have elephantitis! Or so was my first reaction when I looked in the mirror to see why my mouth was painfully throbbing. My gums were both swollen and bleeding. Of course, this happened to coincide with a slight fever, headaches, dizziness, and my period. Although the swelling reduced after a couple days, along with the fever symptoms (thank goodness), the bleeding continues every time I floss or brush my teeth. I decided to finally go visit my dentist.  He removed the plaque from my teeth while explaining to me that the swelling and bleeding was caused by plaque build up mixed with a hormone imbalance. Now that the plaque is gone, I need to floss and use mouthwash regularly and wait seven whole days for my gums to heal. In the mean time, I have decided to learn what causes bleeding gums, and figure out what I can do at home to help reduce the bleeding.

What Causes Bleeding Gums?

Bacteria join forces with food remnants and mucus in a person’s mouth to create a sticky substance known as plaque. When the plaque is not removed properly with both floss and teeth brushing, it will settle at the base of the teeth forming a hard deposit called tartar. This tartar irritates the gums causing swelling and redness and bleeding. When the gums are bleeding, there is an accessible pathway for the bacteria and toxins produced by the tartar to enter the gums and increase the problem. When this happens, it is called Gingivitis, simply defined as inflammation of the gums. (A.D.A.M.)

Although Gingivitis is the most common cause for bleeding gums, there are other factors to be considered in determining why your gums are bleeding. Although rare, the issue might be as simple as overzealous teeth brushing. More likely though, the cause is one of these more common problems:

-Smoking or chewing tobacco both create excess saliva which is probably why smokers tend to have a higher build up of tartar and are thus more susceptible to gum disease.

-Hormones make women more likely to have bleeding gums then men because once a month, their hormone levels are prone to become abnormal. There are hormone receptors in the gums that can be affected by a rise in hormonal levels, causing the swelling, redness, and bleeding.

-Vitamin K is necessary to help blood clot. If a person is deficient in this vitamin, it can cause the gums to bleed.

There are other causes to bleeding gums however these are the most common. (Admin)

At Home Care

Besides mouth wash, flossing, and brushing your teeth, there are many things you can do to prevent your gums from bleeding. You can start by monitoring your diet.

Vitamin C is found commonly in citrus fruits such as oranges and vegetables such as broccoli. The body does not produce this vitamin on its own; it must get it from ingestion of foods that contain it. Vitamin C is known to aid in healing wounds and repairing damaged tissue. Increasing the amount of vitamin C in your body is a good step towards repairing your gums. (Williams)

Milk is a great source of calcium which can strengthen your gums, making them better equipped to fight against the toxins and bacteria found in the mouth. (Adnani)

Cranberries have antibacterial properties in their juice that can relieve the pain of bleeding gums. (Wong)

Besides adjusting your eating habits, there are other simple things you can do to help your gums:

Salt Water is said to encourage circulation in your gums and decrease swelling. My dentist suggested that I use this mouth rinse twice a day to help kill bacteria. No need to swallow the mixture, simply swish it around your mouth and then spit it out.

Soft Bristled Toothbrushes are gentler on your teeth and will reduce some of the irritation to the gums caused by brushes with harder bristles. Please note that if you are suffering from bleeding gums caused by a gum disease, the bacteria are transferred onto your toothbrush. Either throw your tooth brush away, or boil it in water to sanitize the bristles so that the bacteria do not re-enter your mouth.

Baking Soda, when rubbed on the gums, neutralizes bacteria in the mouth. My dentist suggested that I apply the baking soda and then rinse my mouth out with the salt water solution.

These home remedies should certainly help stop your gums from bleeding. If the problem does persist, however, please go see a dentist. If tartar builds up on your teeth, only a regular scheduled cleaning with your dentist will ensure proper removal so that healing may begin.

Reference List

A.D.A.M. Inc. 2010. Gingivitis. Retrieved from

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Gingivitis

Admin. January 11, 2009. Eight Causes of Bleeding Gums. Dental Health Site. Retrieved

from http://www.dentalhealthsite.com/8-bleeding-gums/

Adnani, Seema. 2010. Home Remedies For Bleeding Gums. Organic Facts. Retrieved

From < http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-bleeding-gums.html>

Williams DDS, Darren R. March 15, 2009. Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease (Gum

Disease). Web MD. Retrieved from < http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/gingivitis-periodontal-disease>

Wong, Cathy. February 7, 2007. Natural Remedies for Gum Disease. About.Com:

Alternative Medicine. Retrieved from <http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/gum_disease.htm>