Bleeding Gums – Am I brushing too hard?

A question we are often asked is ” I noticed that my gums some times bleed when I brush….. am I brushing too hard?”

Usually the answer to this question is no…. the bleeding occurs because on that given occasion you have managed to reach an area of your mouth that has not been reached for a few days. Generally bleeding gums indicate that there may be some level of gum disease present. At best this is something called gingivitis which means that the gums are inflamed. Gingivitis is usually due to a build up of plaque in a  hard to reach area.  When you give your teeth an extra thorough brushing you get the bristles in to some of these areas and stimulate the inflamed gum which then bleeds.

The best way to stop this is to make sure you are just as thorough the next time you brush…it can take 2-4 days for gingivitis to resolve fully so don’t expect an immediate miracle.  Better still why not follow our 4 point plan for dental health.