Reasons Why Flossing Makes Your Gums Bleed
Along with brushing your teeth and practicing other good habits, flossing is one of the best ways to prevent tooth decay. However, if your gums bleed a little every time you floss, you may be using the wrong flossing techniques or you may have gingivitis. Below are some possible reasons why your gums bleed a little every time you floss and what you can do to treat them.
Why Does Flossing Make Your Gums Bleed?
Your gums may look tough, but the tissues are actually quite delicate. Gum tissue is a connective tissue that protects the roots of your teeth crowns. Daily flossing can keep your gums firm, resilient, and germ-free. However, flossing to hard or too rough can bruise or cut your gums, which can lead to bleeding.
Rough flossing isn't the only thing that can make your gums bleed. Gingivitis, a gum disease that causes inflamed gums, can also cause your gums to bleed when you floss. Unless your gums are visibly swollen or red, you might not notice you have gingivitis until they bleed.
If you take a few small precautions, you may be able to keep your gums from bleeding every time you floss your teeth.
How Do You Keep Your Gums From Bleeding?
It's important to take your time when you floss your teeth. If you're in a hurry in the morning, wait until the evening to floss your teeth.
You can also keep your gums from bleeding by using waxed floss. Although unwaxed floss is an excellent way to clean between your teeth, waxed floss may be easier to use if you have tight teeth. You may need to try different types of floss until you find one that doesn't make your gums bleed.
Also, see a dentist for a gum disease checkup. Even if your gums appear in good health, they could still be inflamed. A dentist will examine the condition of your gumline to see if it's red or lined with plaque. If a dentist detects inflammation around your gumline, they'll check your teeth roots for infection.
You may need to have your teeth and gums cleaned to keep gingivitis from worsening. If your gums are severely inflamed, a dentist may scale your teeth to treat the infection. Afterwards, the dentist will polish and apply antimicrobial medication to your teeth and gums.
If you need answers about your bleeding gums, see a dentist today.