When to See Your Dentist About Bleeding Gums

When you think about plaque in your mouth, you probably connect it to damage to your teeth. But that harmful bacteria can also take a toll on your gums. If you have bleeding gums, that plaque is probably to blame. 

Dental plaque irritates your gums and causes inflammation. When you go to floss or brush, they might bleed. That bleeding is an indicator that you have gum disease. 

While Nisha Modi, DMD, offers preventive dentistry to help you avoid problems like bleeding gums, they happen. Gum disease affects nearly half of American adults over 30. 

Our Miracle Smile Dental team is here to help you reverse your gum disease. Before you visit our office in Aubrey, Texas, you can take some time to see if you can heal your gums yourself. 

Treating your bleeding gums at home

Bleeding gums are one of the most telltale symptoms of gum disease. This condition comes in two forms. It starts as gingivitis or gum inflammation. Left unchecked, it worsens into periodontitis. 

Fortunately, if you’re still in the gingivitis phase, you can probably cure your gum disease — and stop your gums from bleeding — on your own. That means applying some diligent oral care. Be sure to brush your teeth twice daily and floss once a day. 

When you brush, go through your usual teeth-cleaning routine using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Before you finish, angle your toothbrush at 45 degrees, then sweep your brush along your gum line on both the inside and outside of your teeth. 

Diligent brushing and flossing removes plaque so your gums have the chance to heal. 

When to see a dentist

While you can usually reverse gingivitis with some diligent at-home oral care, you might need more involved treatment. If your gums still bleed after two weeks of consistent brushing and flossing, it’s time to see our team. 

Here at our office, Dr. Modi evaluates your gums. Then, she creates a treatment plan to help them heal and stop bleeding.

In some cases, that means professional cleaning in our office. During this time, we remove tartar or hardened plaque that your toothbrush and floss can’t get off. This cleaning with good at-home oral care habits might help your gums heal.

If your gingivitis has turned to periodontitis, the issue has spread to your periodontium or the soft tissue and bone that help to anchor your teeth. At this point, Dr. Modi may recommend scaling and root planing. This treatment removes plaque and tartar, including any developed below your gum line. Then, your tooth root gets smoothed to encourage your gums to reattach.

In short, you have options for healing your bleeding gums. Start with several weeks of diligent brushing and flossing at home. If your gums are still bleeding, visit Dr. Modi so she can develop a treatment plan for you. Call our team today at 469-765-3567 or book an appointment using our convenient online scheduling tool.