It’s Monday morning, you’ve just jumped out of a boiling hot shower, the radio is playing, the sun is shining and you’re ready for another super productive week at work. You pipe your toothpaste onto your toothbrush and begin to brush, up, down, left, right, making sure to get all over the tooth and onto the gum then, you spit the toothpaste into the basin and… oh. Is that blood? And that lovely Monday buzz disappears as you start replaying the tooth loss adverts “if you spit blood when you brush, it could lead to tooth loss. You think back, ‘when was I last at the dentist?’ You can’t remember, now searching your online calendar for previous appointments… March 2019. ‘Surely not?’ Best get in contact with your dentist in St John’s Wood.
What do bleeding gums mean?
For most cases, bleeding gums are the first sign of gum disease, but they are by no means the beginning of a serious, incurable condition. Early-stage gum disease is super common with over half the adult population suffering with it. It’s caused when bacteria build up on the gum line. This in turn causes the brain to have the same rejection it would have if dirt was left in an open wound - inflammation and pus.
How do I fix gum disease?
Most cases of gum disease can be cured with two simple steps.
First Step - A deep scale and polish carried about by a hygienist at your dentist in St John’s wood. Hygienists are special types of dentists who specialise in the upkeep and health of gums. They have special equipment and training which allows them to deep clean the teeth and gum line, restoring red swollen gums to their previous pink, healthy state - usually in just one appointment. Of course, this is subject to the severity of any given cases.
Second Step - Re-evaluating your oral hygiene routine. Now, this doesn’t mean you're not brushing your teeth properly. It could be that you have excellent brushing technique but that there’s another step in your oral health plan that’s missing such as flossing, or the use of interdental brushes. Or it could mean that you’re not brushing your teeth correctly and it’s causing a build-up of plaque and tartar that you aren’t aware of.
Brushing Technique
I don’t believe that in order to have a good toothbrush you must have an electric toothbrush - there have been reports that suggest electric toothbrushes clean teeth better but I personally believe it’s really down to how you brush. Make sure when you’re brushing, you’re not only using up and down methods but that you're also circling the teeth. Also make sure that you’re spending time both on the tooth and the gum lines and most importantly that you’re getting behind the teeth. An area that is really easily begging to build up with plaque and tartar is behind the front bottom teeth and it’s an easy area to check to see if you’re doing a complete clean.
