Many people have probably encountered such a problem when, when brushing their teeth, the gums suddenly began to bleed. This is a rather unpleasant phenomenon, especially if it causes bad breath. The gums may bleed from the impact of a hard toothbrush, but this can also be a sign of serious problems. If you wait until the bleeding goes away on its own, you can easily get diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis, and after a while you can lose your teeth altogether. Why do gums hurt and bleed? What to do in this case? Let's try to figure it out together.
Causes of bleeding gums
If the gums bleed, the reasons may be as follows:
- Incorrect oral hygiene, which can include using a hard-bristled toothbrush and brushing your teeth too hard. The gums are injured and blood appears.
- Sloppy oral care. Many people spend no more than a minute brushing their teeth, which does not completely remove food debris that contributes to the formation of tartar. It can be both above the gum and below it. If the tartar is under the gum, then it begins to move it away from the tooth, causing bleeding.
- Diseases of the oral cavity. Diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, periodontitis and periodontal disease are often accompanied by bleeding gums. Much less often, this phenomenon is caused by completely different diseases: SARS, diabetes, blood cancer, hemophilia.
- Taking certain medications. Certain medications can thin the blood, but they have side effects, one of which is bleeding gums. As soon as the patient stops taking them, the gums also return to normal.
- Malnutrition. Lack of vitamins B, C, E and K is very bad for gum he alth.
- Dental procedures. If the gums bleed as a result of the manipulations, the reasons for this may be poorly installed crowns or poor-quality dentures, which can injure the gums. Quite rarely, bleeding can occur after brushing your teeth in a dental clinic.
Vitamins for bleeding gums
Do you have bleeding gums and bad breath? So know: often these symptoms haunt a person whose food is poor in vitamins. Therefore, be sure to include in your diet foods rich in nutrients, micro and macro elements..
Vitamin C helps prevent inflammation and bleeding of the gums and helps reduce the susceptibility of the oral mucosa to various infections. This vitamin is found in cabbage,citrus fruits, green onions, celery, red peppers, potatoes, kiwi, parsley, currants, spinach, raspberries.
Vitamin B makes strong gums and teeth, prevents cracks and sores from appearing in the oral cavity. It is found in asparagus, garlic, buckwheat, wholemeal bread, milk, lamb, apples, chicken eggs, oatmeal, almonds, Brussels sprouts, beef.
Vitamin PP prevents the development of stomatitis and gingivitis. It can be found in foods such as beans, yeast, buckwheat, beef liver, pineapple, beets.
Vitamin E heals wounds on the mucosa well. They are rich in peas, bread, sprouted wheat, lettuce, corn, vegetable and butter, dairy products, legumes, cod.
Vitamin K keeps gums from bleeding. It is abundant in avocados, pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, soybeans, tomatoes, bananas, spinach, cucumbers, rose hips, dairy products.
If your gums are bleeding and bad breath is causing discomfort, carrot juice is the best remedy. It should be drunk in the morning before meals, and in a few days the gums will become he althier.
What is gingivitis?
The most common gum disease, accompanied by redness and bleeding, is gingivitis, the symptoms and treatment of which are discussed below. It is extremely difficult to get rid of its chronic form. At an early stage, this disease does not cause any trouble, but after a while there is some discomfort.
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums that is characterized by redness, bleeding and swelling. Its symptoms are: pain when chewing food, itching in the area of inflammation, bad breath. The acute course of the disease is manifested by severe pain and a sharp reddening of the gums. If this is a chronic form, then the symptoms worsen in autumn and spring, but not too much. There is some discomfort, but it is quite tolerable. Bleeding may increase slightly.
How is gingivitis treated?
Symptoms and treatment of this disease can only be determined by a qualified dentist. The fact is that the signs of the disease are similar to those that accompany periodontitis, periodontal disease and stomatitis, so self-medication is not recommended. Much better to take the time to visit the clinic.
Gingivitis at an early stage is treated quickly enough. The acute form passes in 10 days. The chronic stage requires longer treatment. The doctor must prescribe a complex of vitamins to increase immunity. Also, the periodontist can prescribe vitamin injections ("Cyanocobalamin", "Lincomycin") and lidocaine. Vitamins relieve symptoms and lidocaine reduces pain.
Sometimes this disease is treated with antibiotics, which are most effective in the acute stage. In addition, they prevent the development of complications.
Also, ointments and gels are used for treatment, which relieve inflammation and relieve symptoms. Covering the gum with a thin film, they help protect it from temperature andchemical irritants.
Folk remedies for bleeding gums
If the gums are swollen and bleeding, alternative medicine can help. Folk remedies are often prescribed by dentists as an additional therapy. Many drugs are considered very effective and affordable. Therefore, do not be lazy, you should sort out your home first aid kit, in which there are sure to be herbs that help if the gums bleed. What to do at home, how to get rid of the disease?
Use of medicinal herbs
Well, in this case, oak decoction helps. The tool has an anti-inflammatory and astringent effect. The result is usually seen immediately, but the problem is completely eliminated only after 2 weeks of intensive rinsing.
Chamomile has a wound healing and antimicrobial effect. To prepare a decoction, take 2 tbsp. l. flowers, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse your mouth twice a day.
Another highly effective anti-inflammatory is sage. It helps eliminate swelling and relieve soreness of the gums. To prepare the infusion, 2 tbsp. l. herbs are brewed with a glass of boiling water, kept for a couple of hours, after which they rinse their mouths. The course is until full recovery.
Nettle is considered a wonderful hemostatic plant, so it is used for heavy bleeding. It is brewed in the same way as sage, and used for rinsing 2 times a day.
S alt and apple cider vinegar
Greatly stops blood rinsing with s alt. To do this, dissolve a spoonful of sea s alt in a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth twice a day.
You can use apple cider vinegar instead of saline - it helps to eliminate bacterial plaque, stop bleeding and reduce inflammation. Vinegar is added to water in the following proportion: 1 tablespoon per 100 g of liquid.
Pharmacy remedies for bleeding gums
If the gums bleed, what should I do? At home, they often use various modern products sold in pharmacies. These can be toothpastes and gels.
Specially designed to treat bleeding gums, toothpastes contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that reduce tissue swelling, eliminate soreness and promote healing. We are talking about such pharmaceutical products as "Lacalut Active" and "Lacalut Phytoformula". The first paste is forbidden to use for a long time - it is used as an "ambulance", and the second is good for prevention purposes.
If your gums bleed and bad breath persists for a long time, dentists advise you to pay attention to special gels. They are applied directly to the gum, so that the gel easily penetrates the tissues. The effect comes very quickly - the pain disappears, the blood stops and the swelling is eliminated. The most common remedy is Cholisal gel.
Proper nutrition as a way to treat gums
If your gums bleed while brushing,you need to eat right. It is imperative to include fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet, and vitamin C should also be taken. Complexes containing vitamins B and K are considered very useful. It is best to limit carbohydrate and sweet foods, and be sure to brush your teeth after eating cookies or sweets.
Using antibiotics to treat gums
If no means help to fix the problem, then antibiotics come to the rescue. For inflammation of the gums caused by various microorganisms, the following medicines are used:
- Metronidazole.
- Lincomycin.
- Clindamycin.
- Nomycin.
- Cyflox.
- Tarivid.
Antibiotics for inflammation of the gums should be used only as directed by a doctor, it is strictly forbidden to self-medicate. Such drugs are indicated only for the treatment of moderate and severe periodontitis. Antibiotics are prescribed immediately or during the removal of tartar.
Preventive measures
If your gums bleed and bad breath keeps you from living normally, that's certainly a problem. It is better not to bring yourself to such a state, but the following preventive measures will help in this:
- after eating you should brush your teeth;
- recommended to use dental floss, which gently removes food debris between teeth;
- the menu must contain raw vegetables and fruits, especially those rich in vitamin C;
- After brushing your teeth, use mouthwash tono tartar formed;
- best to quit smoking;
- necessary to visit a dentist who can notice the disease at an early stage and begin treatment.
Conclusion
Bleeding gums is a rather unpleasant problem, but it is quite solvable. The main thing is to eliminate the cause in a timely manner, because in advanced cases you can say goodbye to your teeth.