Bleeding Gums - That's Not Normal

Bleeding of Gums when Brushing or Flossing

It is not normal when gums bleed when brushing and flossing. “In fact, it signals that a disease process has begun,” says Dr. Judith Ko from Hemet Valley Dental Care in Hemet, California. Think about it. If bleeding occurred anywhere else on the body, you’d be concerned. You’d probably visit a doctor to determine what was going on.

For some reason many of us do not consider bleeding in the mouth the same way, but we should. Bleeding of the gums while doing routine maintenance – brushing and flossing – signals infection. We also know that not treating an infection of the body is not in our best interest. Infection causes our body to be depleted of energy – this also rings true when it’s an infection of the gum tissue. “The recommended treatment for bleeding gums is called root planing and scaling. Once this process is completed, many patients remark on how they feel better over all and experience higher energy levels,” adds Dr. Ko.

So at the first signs of bleeding, see your dentist.