Bleeding Gums & Foul Breath - How To Tackle Them?

Talk of a healthy mouth and most people would think of a decay-free set of teeth. However, overall oral health is more due to healthy gums and adjacent tissue. The gums or the gingiva largely determines the health of the teeth. They also provide anchoring support to the teeth. The gums and the surrounding tissue are together called as Periodontium.

While infection of the gums is called gingivitis and is a minor issue, the periodontal inflammation is called periodontitis, is more severe. Infection of the periodontium is one of the main causes of bad breath or halitosis too. It may cause loosening of teeth if left untreated. Red, swollen gums are one of the first symptoms of poor oral health, gradually leading to spontaneous gum bleeding. Apart from poor oral hygiene practices, other conditions which contribute to poor gingival health include pregnancy, diabetes, mouth breathing, chemotherapy, tobacco users, hormonal imbalance, and vigorous brushing. Most can be managed by simply improving oral hygiene practices. If periodontal involvement is identified, it is advisable to see the dentist.

Methods To Prevent Bleeding Gums and Bad Breath -

Listed below are some common methods to manage bleeding gums and bad breath.

• Brushing: Advisable at least twice a day, but preferably after each meal. Use of a soft-bristled toothbrush is equally important, as hard bristles are damaging. Following each cycle of brushing, give massage to gums with a simple plain finger – this improves blood circulation and thereby gum health. Interdental brushes are available for the persons in which gaps are present in between teeth.
   
• Rinsing: Any mouthwash will do, and if you are outside and can’t find anything within reach, use water. It has been the oldest rinse and works wonders. Swish it around the teeth for about 30 seconds and spit it out. If a medicated one is used, avoid eating for 30 minutes after the rinse.
   
• Flossing: This gives special attention to the surfaces between the teeth which attracts food lodgment and is more prone to decay. Flossing removes plaque from between the teeth and reduces caries and gum problems, thereby reducing the incidence of gum disease and bad breath. Techniques of flossing include manual flossing using waxed thread or floss tied between fingers, small devices available to assist holding of floss and make it convenient, and the latest development is water flosser, which by producing water jet cleans the interdental areas without using thread passing through contact areas also very much effective and user-friendly.

Treatment for Bleeding Gums - To treat gums bleeding it is always suggested to visit the dentist to identify the causative factor and its efficient management.

The dentist may suggest you to go for scaling (professional cleaning), root planning and polishing of the teeth. In severe cases, sometimes, gingival surgeries are required.