Gums that bleed when you brush or floss are not a normal part of cleaning your teeth. They are the earliest, and most ignored, sign of gum inflammation. The reassuring part is that at this stage the problem is almost always reversible, and the fix is simple.
Why gums bleed
Healthy gums are pale pink, firm and sit snugly against the teeth. When plaque is left at the gum line, the gum reacts to the bacteria by becoming inflamed: it swells, turns darker red, and the tiny blood vessels near the surface become fragile enough to bleed at the lightest touch. This is gingivitis. It is not caused by brushing too hard, and it does not go away if you brush that area more gently or avoid it.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy, some blood-thinning medications, vitamin deficiencies and smoking can all make gums more likely to bleed, but plaque is behind the great majority of cases.
Why it matters
Gingivitis itself does not damage your teeth. The reason to act on it is what it can become. If the inflammation continues, it moves below the gum line and begins to break down the bone that holds the teeth in place. That is periodontitis, and the bone it takes is gone for good. Bleeding gums are your chance to stop that process before it starts.
How we assess it
Your dentist or hygienist will look at the colour and shape of your gums, check for bleeding and tartar, and measure the depth of the small gap between the gum and each tooth. Those measurements tell us whether this is early inflammation that will settle, or whether the gum has started to detach. Where there is any doubt we take X-rays to check the bone.
Treatment
For most people the treatment is a thorough professional clean to remove the plaque and tartar the gums are reacting to, followed by a short, practical lesson in cleaning between the teeth. Within a week or two of better cleaning the bleeding usually stops, which is the clearest sign the gums have recovered.
If the measurements show the problem has moved below the gum, we move on to Gum Disease Treatment: a deeper clean, area by area, under local anaesthetic, with a review a few weeks later.
Keeping bleeding away
- Clean between your teeth once a day with interdental brushes sized to fit your gaps; floss where brushes will not go
- Brush along the gum line, not just the tooth surfaces, for two minutes twice a day
- Keep brushing an area that bleeds; it is the plaque, not the brush, causing the bleeding, and it stops as the gum heals
- Book hygiene appointments at the interval we recommend, usually every three to six months
