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No, keep flossing. Bleeding is a sign your gums are inflamed by plaque between your teeth, and stopping leaves that plaque in place. It is one of the few times the answer to bleeding is to keep going. With gentle daily flossing and regular cleanings, the bleeding usually settles within a week or two. If it does not, have your gums checked.
More about periodontal gum evaluation in Riverview.
Answered by the team at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.
Full transcript of the video answer on whether you should stop flossing if your gums bleed, given by Amber-Lee, IRDH, at Bright White Dental Hygiene Clinic in Riverview, NB, serving Moncton and Dieppe.
Question: My Gums Bleed When I Floss. Should I Stop?
“If your gums bleed when you floss, you definitely should not stop. Bleeding is a sign of inflammation and infection. Unless you remove the plaque from in between your teeth, this will continue to happen. It's important that you actually floss more when you have bleeding, and not less. The more you floss, eventually, if you've had regular cleanings, the inflammation should go away.”
Plaque sitting along the gumline irritates the gums, and inflamed gums bleed easily when they are touched. Healthy gums do not bleed from normal flossing. The floss is showing you where the inflammation is.
In the classic 1965 study of gingivitis, gums that had become inflamed went back to healthy within about a week once people started cleaning their teeth again. In real life, give it one to two weeks of flossing every day. Slide the floss gently, curve it around the tooth, and go just under the gumline. Do not snap it down.
Amber-Lee says regular cleanings are part of the fix. Tartar stuck under the gumline keeps gums inflamed, and floss cannot remove it. If you floss every day and still bleed, tartar is the likely reason.
Book a gum check if the bleeding lasts more than two weeks, if your gums are swollen or sore, if your breath stays bad, or if your teeth feel loose. These can be signs of periodontal disease.
Pregnancy, diabetes and blood thinners can all make gums bleed more easily. Tell your hygienist about them, and talk to your doctor if you bleed heavily or in other places too.
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