Bleeding gums are often shrugged off by dental patients as something that everyone experiences occasionally that will go away on its own and isn’t necessarily cause for alarm. However, persistent bleeding during flossing is indeed a common complaint because gum disease is the most pervasive dental health problems across all patients. Bleeding while you floss is a sign of infection and should be taken seriously, but helping to understand why this happens requires knowledge of how gum disease works and what bleeding gums actually mean. It starts with individuals who do not habitually floss their teeth:

Insufficient Cleaning

While many people believe that their toothbrush is cleaning areas between teeth, flossing is the only way to truly scrub the side of each tooth so that bacteria and debris do not take up residence and start to erode dental enamel and soft tissue. 40% of teeth’s surfaces are not typically cleaned with brushing alone, which makes incorporating twice daily flossing into your routine a vital part of preventing bleeding gums and maintaining an overall healthy smile.

Formation of Periodontal Pockets

When bacteria and debris are not removed from the surfaces of teeth, they can turn into acid which creates dental caries and can form colonies below the gum line. These periodontal pockets are a sign of gum disease and can cause soft tissue to pull back from teeth, loosen the support that teeth need to remain strong, and in very serious cases can create the need for tooth extraction.

Infection and Gum Disease

With all the right factors in place, gum disease takes root and can create blood blisters as a symptom of soft tissue infection. If you only occasionally floss your teeth and have given gum disease a chance to flourish in between, the next time you floss, you can disturb irritated tissue where blood has collected, which creates bleeding gums.

Periodontal Care with Dr. Solomon

Our team treats bleeding gums as a sign of soft tissue infection and can get you back on the road to better oral health.  Periodontal treatments help to clean below the gum line and prevent more serious complications of this condition. For more information about periodontal care in Phoenix, contact our office.

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