Having bleeding gums can be very uncomfortable. Imagine having constantly irritated gums that just bleed whenever you floss or brush your teeth? Most times, however, people have minor cases of bleeding gums that can be treated at home.
On most occasions, bleeding gums are not a severe oral health issue. It is common, and you can experience it because you have tartar or plaque buildup on your teeth.
To avoid this bleeding and sensitivity, you should observe proper oral hygiene. This article focuses on home remedies that can help us treat bleeding gums at home;
Why Are My Gums Bleeding?
- Poor Oral Hygiene – Your gums could be bleeding because you are not cleaning your teeth at least twice a day, or just not brushing them frequently.
- Old Toothbrush – Another cause could be because you are cleaning your teeth with a toothbrush that is already worn out. The toothbrush is distressed and does not give you a proper clean.
- Abusing Dental Floss – You might also be misusing your dental floss, roughly pushing it between your teeth instead of being gentle. Make sure that you push the dental floss downwards as you hug the sides of your teeth.
- Bad Toothbrush – Additionally, you could be using the wrong toothbrush, which is too stiff and hurts your gums, making them tender.
- Taking Certain Drugs – If you are taking medicinal drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or any blood thinners, they can be contributing factors for your bleeding gums.
- Medical Conditions – Having Leukemia, scurvy, vitamin K deficiency, hormonal changes during pregnancy, and dentures that do not fit properly, are other causes of bleeding gums.
Home Remedies for Bleeding Gums
1. Consume more leafy greens
Leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, and lettuce, among others. These green leafy vegetables contain numerous nutrients. One of these nutrients is Vitamin K.
When you have a deficiency in Vitamin K, you may bleed more because this affects how long your blood takes to clot. Individuals that are predisposed to blood clots should consult their doctor to know how much Vitamin K should add to their diet.
Vitamin K supplements can ease your bleeding gums. Daily, males should take one hundred and twenty micrograms of Vitamin K while females should ingest ninety micrograms of the same.
2. Cut down on carbohydrates
Cutting down on your carbohydrate intake helps improve the health of your gums and also avoid gum diseases. Foods that contain too much sugar, together with carbohydrates, make it easier for bacteria and plaque to grow on your gums.
Foods rich in starch stick to your gums and teeth. They then break down into sugar, leading to inflammation in your gums, decay, and bleeding. Foods rich in starch and sugar, for instance, include cakes, cultured bread, and potato chips.
3. Use a salt rinse
To make a salt rinse, add half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of luke-warm water. Gurgle salt water around your mouth to cleanse it and then spit the salty water. It is advisable to repeat this process frequently during day and night time.
Using a salt rinse aids to lessen the bacteria and quicken healing.
4. Make use of an ice pack
Hold an ice cube or ice pack against the swollen gums to help calm them. Ice usually helps in calming slight injuries that can bring about inflammation.
Also, they relieve the pain brought by gingivitis. When using an ice pack, keep it on the swollen area for 10-minute intervals 3-4 times during the day.
5. Exercise oral hygiene
Having bleeding gums is a sign that you are not practicing good dental hygiene.
Therefore, if you do not clean your mouth well and floss, bacteria found in plaque and tartar continue spreading and cause gum disease.
Keeping your teeth and mouth healthy will prevent you from having to treat gum diseases and tooth decay.
Pregnant women must conduct good oral hygiene because the hormonal imbalances that accompany pregnancy put them at risk of gum diseases.
6. Include Vitamin C in your diet
Food containing vitamin C includes red pepper, sweet potatoes, fruits like oranges, and many others.
Alternatively, you can purchase Vitamin C supplements.
Vitamin C is placed on a high pedestal as it is a vital antioxidant. This type of vitamins protects the lining of gums and strengthens our connective tissues. Including Vitamin C in your diet is, therefore, a good idea. For adults, sixty-five to ninety milligrams of Vitamin C is recommended each day.
This vitamin is known to boost our immunity too. Therefore, it will aid in fighting the infection in your gums that makes your gums bleed. If your body is not provided with sufficient Vitamin C, the bleeding can worsen, especially if you have gum disease.
Besides, insufficient Vitamin C in the body results in bleeding gums even though you ensure good dental and oral hygiene.
7. Use a turmeric paste
To make this paste, take some turmeric powder and mix it with mustard oil. When ready, apply gently to the affected area. Turmeric is said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It contains a component known as curcumin that helps stop bleeding gums.
Turmeric has a yellow color. Make sure that you rinse thoroughly so that it does not leave stains on your teeth. Sometimes turmeric is used by some individuals as an agent of tooth whitening. They combine it with baking soda.
8. Use a suitable toothbrush
When purchasing a toothbrush, make sure you buy one with a ‘sensitive’ or ‘soft’ label on it, especially if your gums are sensitive. If the bristles of your toothbrush are too firm, they will hurt your gums even more. Hygienically, we should replace our old toothbrushes with new ones every three or four months.
Purchasing an electric or manual toothbrush is okay, so long as the bristles are of good quality.
9. Use honey
Honey is readily available in most of our households as it is a sweetening agent and a cooking ingredient, as well as an anti-inflammatory. The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties contained in honey can help kill the bacteria around your gums.
Squish some raw honey onto your fingertips and gently rub it on the swollen and bleeding gums. Apply regularly and let the healing properties of honey do the rest.
10. Brew some green tea
It is said that taking green tea daily helps reverse periodontal diseases and helps cure bleeding gums. Green tea has an antioxidant called catechin that reduces your body’s stirring reaction to bacteria in your mouth.
Drink at least five cups of green tea in a day or more so that the changes can be noticeable.
When Should I See My Dentist About My Bleeding Gums?
After one week of no improvement, check-in with your dentist. Get rid of any plaque or tartar on your teeth that is causing bleeding gums.
In Conclusion
Having red, swollen gums is neither an everyday phenomenon nor is it pleasant. If this happens frequently, get an appointment with a dentist. Get checked for any gum diseases, possible infections, or vitamin deficiencies.
Even if they are useful and help mostly with minor bleeding gums, severe cases cannot be dealt with using home remedies. To make sure that you don’t have to deal with bleeding gums again, observe proper oral hygiene, eat healthily, and stay off too many sugars and carbohydrates.
