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Bleeding gums
Category: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat · All head & senses symptoms
What it can feel like
Bleeding gums means the gums bleed on brushing, flossing or eating, and look red or puffy rather than pale pink and firm. It is usually a sign of gum inflammation (gingivitis) from plaque build-up, and it improves with cleaning — gums that bleed should be cleaned more carefully, not less.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Bleeding gums can be associated with plaque and inflamed gums, brushing too hard, new flossing routines, pregnancy hormone changes, and vitamin C deficiency in restricted diets.
Other possible causes
Bleeding gums can also occur with more advanced gum disease loosening the teeth, with blood-thinning medicines, and occasionally with blood conditions affecting platelets or clotting — particularly when bruising and bleeding appear elsewhere too.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Bleeding gums with widespread bruising, nosebleeds or blood in urine or stool
- Bleeding gums with loose teeth, gum swelling or a bad taste — dental review
- Bleeding that does not stop, in someone on blood thinners
- Bleeding gums with fever and feeling generally unwell
What a clinician may do
A dentist will examine the gums and measure the pockets around the teeth, review cleaning technique and arrange professional cleaning. If bleeding is generalised or accompanied by bleeding elsewhere, blood tests for blood count and clotting are arranged.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Should I stop flossing if my gums bleed?
No — bleeding is the inflammation talking, and gentle daily flossing with good technique is how it settles, usually within one to two weeks. Stopping lets plaque mature and inflammation deepen.
When are bleeding gums not about teeth?
When they arrive with easy bruising, tiny skin bleeds (pinpoint spots), nosebleeds or heavy periods, the problem may be the blood itself — platelet or clotting problems — and blood tests take priority over dentistry.
Related symptoms — Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat
Browse the B section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.