It doesn’t matter whether you are disciplined with your teeth cleaning regime or not. Almost everyone will have bleeding gums once in a while. But, if that happens on a regular basis, it’s likely you may be suffering from gum disease.
Believe it or not, some people aren’t aware of gum disease, how it occurs, and what it can do. The good news is that it’s possible to do something about the problem. If you’re not sure why you’ve got bleeding gums, these eight reasons might be the cause:
1. Poor Oral Hygiene
It might sound like we are stating the obvious here. But, if your oral health is poor, you’re more likely to suffer from bleeding gums. There are many ways to reduce the likelihood of that happening. For instance, use an electric toothbrush for brushing. And use a water pick for flossing.
2. Unhealthy Food and Drinks
It’s both easy and convenient to eat and drink processed foods. Plus, there is an abundance of drinks with high sugar content in them. Apart from making you fat, they can also cause you to have bleeding gums. Why? Because you aren’t boosting your immune system with the right nutrients.
3. Smoking
We all know that smoking can cause all kinds of health problems, one of which is lung cancer. Smoking can also do bad things to your teeth too. It can cause fibrous and enlarged gums. And that allows bacteria to thrive and cause bleeding gums. What’s more, that bacteria can attack your body’s vital organs through the bloodstream.
4. Stress
We all know that stress can make us feel unproductive, depressed and exhausted. What you may not know about stress is that it can impact the health of your teeth too. Stress can prevent your immune system from being strong enough to fight gum disease.
5. Genetics
One fact that surprises many people is that genetics can play a part in people having bleeding gums. More than a third of us have a genetic “marker” that makes us predisposed to bleeding gums and gum disease. It’s possible to get DNA testing to check for that marker. And the good news is there are many treatments to lower the risk of bleeding gums.
6. Misaligned Teeth
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a strict teeth cleaning regime. Some things beyond your control can cause you to have bleeding gums. One of those is misaligned teeth. They can affect supporting gum tissue and bones, causing your gums to bleed.
7. Side Effects from Medicine
Have you ever looked at the notes that come with your medication? They will list a whole host of side effects that you could have. Some drugs can affect blood flow to tissue. As a result, it means your gums could have less protection against bacteria.
8. Gum Disease can get Transmitted through Saliva
Last, but not least, kissing someone with gum disease could cause you to have it too. That’s because the bacteria can get transmitted through saliva! Another way you could get infected saliva is if you share a toothbrush with someone.
