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If your gums begin bleeding, head to the dentist immediately to find out why!
Do Your Gums Bleed While Brushing Your Teeth or Flossing? Your Heart May Be At Risk
Minty fresh breath isn't the only reason to keep your mouth clean--good oral hygiene will also help protect your heart.
While that connection has been confirmed by repeated studies over the years, the reason for it hasn't always been well understood... until now.
Researchers say they've found the missing link between dental health and cardiovascular risk--and it turns out the same bacteria responsible for toothaches and gum disease are making their way right into your cardiovascular system.
The problem is the common Streptococcus, the same bacteria that put the "strep" into "strep throat."
These bacteria are present in the mouth more often that you might want to believe... in fact, they're almost certainly in your mouth right now.
Don't panic--because in most cases, they're harmless.
The problems begin when you let your dental health go to pieces. Bleeding gums offer these bacteria easy access to your insides. In fact, you can think of bloody gums as the entrance ramp to the superhighway of your circulatory system.
And these bacteria are only too happy to hop on and make a beeline for the express lanes.
Anyone who's seen what too many big trucks do to a highway can appreciate what then starts happening in your arteries: traffic jams. The researchers say the bacteria use a protein on their surface to force the platelets in your blood to clump, creating the clots that can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
And just to show you how clever these guys are--and why they're so hard to beat--the researchers also found that by causing the clots, the bacteria also create a suit of armor out of platelets, covering them completely and protecting them from antibiotics.
If that doesn't have you reaching for the floss and mouthwash, I don't know what will.
Streptococcus isn't the only oral bacteria that can put a stop to your heart. One study last year found that people with Tannerella forsythensis had a 53 percent increased risk of heart attack, while the presence of Prevotella intermedia led to a 35 percent increase in that risk.
That same study also found that people with the most bacteria in the mouth--any type of bacteria at all--have the highest risk, so the message is pretty clear: Keep your mouth clean and you'll have a healthier heart.
Edward Martin writes House Calls, a daily letter chronicling the most cutting-edge alternative methods for beating diabetes and cancer, to the latest FDA foul-ups and Big Pharma conspiracies.
People sometimes believe that bleeding when brushing is normal. They say that their gums always bleed and so do their other family member’s. Are bleeding gums normal?
The short answer is NO! Healthy gums do not bleed with brushing or flossing. In fact, bleeding gums is a sign of gingivitis, which is an early stage of gum and bone (periodontal) disease. If you watch TV, you have heard of gingivitis. A multimillion- dollar industry surrounds various types of products that are purported to eliminate gingivitis. The problem is, most of the products don’t really work. They can make your mouth “feel” clean, but the source of the gingivitis remains. Here’s what you need to know:
1.Gingivitis is caused from an inflammation of the gum tissues. This inflammation can be caused from a bacterial infection or some other type of irritation. It is known that there are at least 11 different strains of bacteria that can cause gum and bone disease. These bacteria thrive in dark, moist areas, such as the gum tissues around the teeth. Our immune systems recognize that there is a problem and send out cells to get rid of the bacteria. Blood to the infected area is also increased to help flush away the invaders. However, if the invaders don’t go, our tissues become engorged with blood and our gums can bleed when we brush.
2.Bleeding is sometimes the “first alert” to more damaging problems arising, because gum and bone disease can exist in the absence of other noticeable symptoms, bleeding may be the only sign a person notices; until some destruction of bone has already occurred.
3.Brushing with a soft bristle brush or a soft bristle “power” brush and using dental floss can reduce plaque, which is a soft, sticky substance that forms on our teeth. Plaque is a breeding ground for bacteria.
4.Prescription products, such as medicinal mouth rinses and pastes can help. These provide ingredients known to reduce bacteria.
5.Professional cleaning or prophylaxis, where the dentist or hygienist removes plaque, calculus (also known as tartar-a hard deposit), and stains also reduces bacteria.
6.If bleeding continues, or if you have “pockets” that are 4 mm or deeper around any of your teeth, root planning may be needed. Root planning is not the same as a professional cleaning. It is a more extensive procedure to rid the teeth of germs and deposits.
7.Since bleeding gums may be the first sign of a mouth infection, and since infections in the mouth are related to many chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, a mouth infection is nothing to ignore.
There are sometimes other serious reasons for gums that bleed. These include blood disorders, clotting disorders, liver problems, kidney disorders, artery or capillary diseases, and diabetes and heart problems. Bleeding gums can also be the result of vitamin C and K deficiencies. Fungal infections are implicated with bleeding tissues, as well as certain medications such as aspirin and blood thinners.
