Last night I watched a movie, ate some popcorn, and got one of those pesky kernels stuck in my teeth. After aggressively fishing it out, I noticed my gum was bleeding a bit. That got me thinking about one of our most common questions from patients: “Why does flossing make my gums bleed?”
Generally, flossing should not cause your gum to bleed. If it does, consider it an early sign of periodontal (gum) disease and get yourself to a hygienist.
Flossing is important. When you brush and skip flossing, you miss cleaning 35% of your teeth. The harmful bacteria that is left behind causes irritation and inflammation. If left untreated, the bacteria can get into your bloodstream or cause irreversible jaw bone damage.
So the short answer is “No”. Flossing does not make your gums bleed. Bacteria and infection does.
-Sarah
If you have any questions about flossing or your oral health, we are happy to answer them. Call our office at 207-781-2448!
Although there are times when it could be normal, if it happens normal then it is advisable to have it checked by a professional. The reason for flossing is to break up the colonies of bacteria in between the teeth which cause bleeding when they gnaw at the gum.
It is not only in flossing that accidentally makes your gum bleeds. Sometimes, brushing too hard in a long span of time (I’m speaking of minutes) could hurt it until it bleeds. Once the gum is bleeding that often, that time, you should take into consideration to ask you dental hygienist if you’re infested with gum disorder.