Bleeding gums are a lot more common than you think. Almost everyone will experience gum bleeding at some point in their lives and over half of the people in the world have experienced it in the last year while brushing their teeth. While bleeding gums are common, they are also a symptom of gum disease which is a red flag that you need to check with your dental care provider about your oral hygiene routine.
New statistics have shown that people tend to overlook their gums bleeding and 19% or 1 in 5 stop brushing the area that is specifically bleeding and 8% or 1 in 10 stop brushing their teeth completely. Only 21% or 1 in 5 make the proper decision by booking an appointment to see their dental care provider while 28% or more than 1 in 4 people just ignore the problem completely.
While occasional gum bleeding is normal, it still should not be ignored. There are several things that you can change up about your oral hygiene routine to help stop your gums from bleeding.
- Brush With Toothpaste For 2 Minutes A Day, 2 Times A Day
The first thing that you can do is brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, using a fluoride toothpaste. This is the first change listed because it is the most important. You should be brushing like this everyday by default for minimal dental care.
Getting into the habit of properly brushing your teeth can prevent many problems down the road. This is very important for your gum health and protects your mouth from developing oral diseases. For optimal results you should be using an electric toothbrush once during the day and once at night when you are finished eating and drinking until the next day.
It is also really important to make sure that you are spitting out any extra toothpaste in your mouth but not rinsing with water when you are finished.
- Flossing Should Be Part Of Your Daily Oral Care Routine
Another important habit to add is flossing. You can floss your teeth with either dental floss or interdental brushes. A toothbrush cannot get in between your teeth like floss and interdental brushes can. Not flossing can cause plaque to build-up and cause decay between the teeth or health problems related to your gums.
If your gums bleed when you begin flossing then you should continue and finish the job because once your gums get used to it they will stop bleeding, usually within a couple of weeks. There have been studies done recently that link good gum health to a lower risk of developing heart disease so taking care of your mouth has a lot more benefits than just preventing your gums from bleeding.
- Kill Bad Bacteria With a Fluoride Mouthwash
Using a fluoride mouthwash is very beneficial to your overall oral health. Mouthwash clears your mouth of debris like leftover food particles, and helps to prevent plaque on your teeth. It prevents plaque build up in between teeth, on the surface of teeth in between brushes, and it helps you to avoid build up of plaque on your gums as well.
Mouthwash even keeps your breath fresh by eliminating the bad bacteria that cause bad breath or halitosis. You should always make sure that your mouthwash contains fluoride in order to get that extra layer of protection for your teeth.
After using mouthwash you should not eat or drink immediately after or rinse your mouth with water as this will wash that layer of protection right off of your teeth.
- Get In The Habit of Visiting The Dentist
If your car is having problems, the initial reaction is to take it to see a mechanic. It should be the same thing when it comes to tooth and gum problems and visiting your dental care provider. Your dentist is there to figure out what the problem is and fix it, like a mechanic for your mouth.
Visiting your dentist regularly for check ups and preventative measures such as cleanings is very important for your overall oral health. Your dental care provider will let you know if you are taking care of your teeth properly and they are more likely to spot problems early on if you visit them frequently.
The standard rate of visits, not including problem visits, is every six months. If you are having problems, whether severe or not, then you should call and book an appointment rather than waiting for your next routine visit.
- Lifestyle & Healthy Diet Is Factor for Oral Health
One last thing that you can pay attention to is your diet and lifestyle choices. Both diet and lifestyle choices have an effect on oral health as well as your overall health in general. Your mouth cannot function properly without a healthy diet and good lifestyle choices.
As far as diet goes, an example of something you should know, is that just because a product says sugar-free on the label doesn’t mean it is. It likely means that there are no additional sugars that have been added aside from naturally-occuring sugar.
Also, lifestyle choices, such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol affect oral health as well. If you smoke cigarettes then you are at a much higher risk of developing gum disease because the smoking lessens the oxygen in the bloodstream and the gums that are infected are unable to heal. Smoking has no good effects on your mouth.
Practicing good oral hygiene and taking care of your gums is very important. While bleeding gums can be seen as not much of a concern, it is actually the opposite. If you ignore your gums bleeding, and do not go see your dental care provider, then you could even wind up losing some of your teeth or developing a disease or many other problems.
You should attempt to follow some of the habits listed above and incorporate them into your oral hygiene routine. Taking care of your gums helps you to take care of your teeth which helps to prevent many different diseases and problems that could come about.