Are Your Bleeding Gums a Sign of Gum Disease?
Dental health is about more than just maintaining healthy teeth. You also need to focus on the health and wellbeing of your gums. That means regular brushing, checkups with your dentist, and constant vigilance to ensure that potential problems are identified as early as possible. One common problem that many patients experience with their gums involves bleeding – typically during brushing or flossing. And though many people may be inclined to simply assume that bleeding is just something that happens from time to time, persistent bleeding can be a sign of serious problems like gum disease.
Don’t Neglect Your Gums!
It’s easy to neglect our gums during our oral health regimen. After all, most of us are so focused on the health and appearance of our teeth that the gums often don’t get the attention they deserve. But consider how important your gums are when it comes to optimal oral health. Your gums are vital for ensuring that your teeth stay in their proper place. When they are diseased, you can suffer from bleeding, soreness, gum recession, and increased rates of tooth decay – and tooth loss.
Your gums offer an ideal environment for bacterial infections that can quickly result in periodontitis and other heath concerns. Unfortunately, most patients will never know that they’re suffering from this type of gum ailment until the damage has already been done, since few ever learn about the symptoms that could indicate that gum disease is a concern.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
As with many other health conditions, gum disease is often accompanied by a host of identifiable symptoms. For example:
- Gum recession, as the gums recede away from the teeth.
- Looseness around a tooth or several teeth
- Sores in the mouth
- Halitosis
- Problems with dentures, as the overall integrity of the dental structure is compromised
However, the most easily identifiable symptom of early and late-stage gum disease is bleeding around the gums. The fact is that your gums are not supposed to bleed on a consistent basis. Sure, you may have minor bleeding from time to time – due to aggressive brushing that nicks the delicate tissue – but persistent bleeding is a serious concern. It may indicate the presence of infection, and should be investigated by your dentist to ensure that you’re not facing a more serious dental problem.
Gum disease can include gingivitis and periodontitis. The former can usually be treated with a simple regimen of antibacterial treatments and root planning or scaling. The latter is a more serious problem that can result in tooth loss. Dentists often need to resort to surgical intervention to aid patients suffering from advanced periodontal issues.
At Ebenezer Dental, we are committed to helping our patients enjoy healthy and attractive teeth and gums that last a lifetime. If your gums have been bleeding on a regular basis, it is important to have them evaluated by a trusted dental professional. Give us a call today to schedule your next oral health exam with the best dentist in midtown Manhattan, and protect your teeth and gums from the potential ravages of gum disease.