Brushing your teeth too roughly can cause bleeding gums because your gums are injured. But in addition, bleeding gums can also occur due to certain medical conditions that you should not underestimate, ranging from vitamin deficiencies to blood disorders.
Generally, bleeding gums are a symptom of gum disease which tends to be easily treated with home treatments. However, these symptoms can also occur in other health conditions that make the body more prone to bleeding. This condition certainly requires treatment from a doctor.
Recognize the Various Causes of Bleeding Gums
The following are some conditions that can cause bleeding gums:
1. Gingivitis
Inflammation of the gums or gingivitis is the most common cause of bleeding gums. This condition is more risky experienced by someone who is lazy to brush his teeth. This is because rarely brushing your teeth can encourage the formation of plaque or tartar around the gums.
If left too long, plaque and tartar can irritate the gums and cause inflammation. This is what causes the gums to bleed easily when brushing or flossing, even if brushing is done gently.
2. Periodontitis
Periodontitis occurs when the gums experience a protracted infection without treatment. This condition can damage the soft tissue of the gums to the bone that supports the teeth. Severe tissue damage makes the gums bleed more easily, especially when brushing your teeth.
3. Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia It can also be one of the causes of bleeding gums. This condition occurs when the number of platelets, which are blood components that play an important role in the blood clotting process, is below normal limits.
When the platelet count drops, bleeding can occur spontaneously and be difficult to stop, for example bleeding gums. Thrombocytopenia can be caused by bone marrow disorders, dengue fever, or the use of certain medications.
4. Hemophilia
Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that causes problems with blood clotting. Similar to thrombocytopenia, bleeding in hemophilia can occur spontaneously and will last longer.
People with hemophilia can experience bleeding gums suddenly without a cause or when brushing their teeth too vigorously. In addition to the gums, bleeding is also easy to occur in other places, for example in the nose (nosebleeds), under the skin (bruises), and even in the joints.
5. Vitamin deficiency
A person who lacks vitamin C or vitamin K will be prone to bleeding gums. This is because these two vitamins play an important role in strengthening body tissues, including the gums, as well as helping the wound healing process and blood clotting.
In addition to the above conditions, changes in female hormone levels can also cause bleeding gums. That is why, girls who are entering puberty or women who are menstruating, pregnant, entering menopause, and taking birth control pills, are more prone to bleeding gums.
Various Ways to Overcome Bleeding Gums
To treat bleeding gums, some things you can do are:
- Compressing the bleeding gums using gauze previously soaked in ice water to stop the bleeding
- Adequate intake of vitamin C and vitamin K from food or supplements
- Avoid taking aspirin or other drugs that can cause bleeding gums, unless your doctor recommends it
- Avoid cigarettes or other tobacco products, as they can worsen inflammation of the gums
- Regularly brushing teeth properly and correctly, to avoid accumulation of plaque or gum sores due to the wrong way of brushing
To maintain overall dental and oral health, take extra care to clean your teeth, by using dental floss and mouthwash after every meal. In addition, make regular visits to the dentist every 6 months to check and clean dental plaque.
If not resolved by the ways above or often reappear, the possible cause of bleeding gums is a serious and chronic medical condition. If this happens, immediately consult a dentist for further treatment.
