Have you been finding blood when you’re brushing your teeth? You may think that you’re just brushing too hard or that it’s normal. However, bleeding gums are one of the main signs that you’re suffering from gum disease. Dr. Joseph Catanzano of Foxhall Smiles explains what you need to know about bleeding gums in Washington DC.
What are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?
If you’re noticing bleeding gums when you’re brushing your teeth, you may be able to connect other symptoms you’ve been having to gum disease. Another earlier sign of gum disease is having chronic bad breath. You may not have realized otherwise that these two are connected. You can explain away bleeding gums with harsh brushing and bad breath with your diet.
As gum disease progresses, you’ll notice more prominent symptoms that are harder to ignore. If you have a denture, you may notice it’s fitting differently lately. Your gums can become red and swollen. They also start receding heavily and you may notice teeth that are shifting or becoming loose.
What is Gum Disease Caused By?
Gum disease can come on based on a lot of factors. One of the most common is improper oral hygiene. If you aren’t brushing and flossing daily, as well as going to your dentist regularly, your oral health can suffer. Harmful oral bacteria feed off of the foods you eat, particularly sugary ones, and emit byproducts into your mouth. Seeing your dentist regularly means they may be able to detect gum disease before you notice symptoms.
Other things can contribute to developing gum disease. Smoking or other tobacco use can increase the likelihood of it developing. Certain medications can also increase your chances. Medication can contribute to dry mouth. Saliva is crucial in the mouth because it helps to wash away bacteria and food particles.
How is Gum Disease Treated?
Dr. Catanzano will give you a thorough examination to determine how severe your case of gum disease is and create a personalized treatment plan for you. There are multiple solutions for periodontal therapy at different stages. For very mild cases, we can prescribe antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria. This doesn’t work with more severe cases, though.
Scaling and root planing are often used to take care of gum disease. Scaling cleans out built-up plaque and tartar that gets caught below the gum line. Root planing flattens down the tooth roots so that they’re able to attach to the gums again.
Sometimes gum disease treatment will require surgery. Gum graft surgery takes tissue from another place in your mouth to cover your tooth roots. Flap surgery lifts up your gums and deep cleans underneath them to help take care of buildup in severely deep gum pockets.
Treating Bleeding Gums in Washington DC
Need help treating bleeding gums and other symptoms? Call us or schedule an appointment online.