Bleeding gums

[Chelle_]

Guys has anyone else experienced severe bleeding gums? I'm waking in the morning with blood in my mouth! Gums are bleeding at eating apples, ice lollies and thing remotely hard...... Especially when brushing. Am booking an appt for the dentist next week. Am in warfarin and Inter-A.

[Swede]

Hello,

Poor you! I am a dental nurse and my husband a dentist...

The advise I can give, is to brush the gum thoroughly...not hard just very thoroughly morning and night, for 2 minutes.

My gum has never been bleeding so I have been lucky but if it does don't stop brushing. Just continue but not too hard...Hope it will calm down for you!

[piggie50]

Hi,

My dentist is concerned because my gums bleed on pressure. Although not when I eat. She advised me to use an electric toothbrush, angle the head from the tooth toward the gum, upwards for the top teeth and downwards for the bottom ones, and hold the brush on each tooth for 5 seconds, so not scrubbing. I'm due to go back in august so will see if this has worked. If I clean my teeth with a normal brush they do bleed.

[bethel]

HI, I have had this since I was diagnosed with ET just over 6 years ago. Sometimes it is quite bad, and I wake up looking as if I have been on a vampire rampage. it happens now even if I haven't eaten anything, I can be sitting at my desk in work, and I constantly have the taste of metal in my mouth. I am paranoid about dental hygiene, however, I have been told that it is symptom of ET, it does however effect my hb result, but as I see my haematologist every 2-3 weeks we can keep an eye on it. Try not to panic, easily said I know, I have just learnt to try not to think about it and always tell my haematologist. Take care.

[dd21]

You poor thing. I've had this on and off since diagnosed with ET 20+ years ago. I think you have great advice from the first 3 posts. As I understand it, anti clotting meds. are going to accentuate any gum bleeds, but are necessary to keep our blood "slippery".

Gum disease is common and it is very "fixable" with professional care and support and patience with yourself. Modern electric brushes are brilliant - I like the ones which flash a red light if you use to much pressure. Ask your dentist and hygienist to recommend a mouthwash. Oral care is surprisingly important to our overall health.

Don't expect the dental healthcare specialists to fully understand your condition (do find ones that you like, who are empathetic and see them very frequently at first). Don't even expect your haem to understand the tiny detail of your dental healthcare.

Take care. Be kind to yourself. You can improve this.

[LouisePRV Volunteer]

Hi!

I occasionally have bleeding gums ( nothing quite as severe as you though by the sounds of things) - usually when my haematocrit rises above 45 and I need a venesection......

Try having an interim blood test just to check.

I have PV but not sure what you have...

Louise

[Chelle_]

Thanks for all your advice guys much appreciated. I am defjbayely off to see the dentist. I am in the armed forces so I am limited to who I can chose to see but there normally pretty good. I have an electric tooth brush and use the suggested mouthwash. I have PV, PVT and Liver Cirrhosis and know this is a side effect from all three. Fingers crossed it'll sort itself out as mentioned the vampire look isn't in at the moment!! Lol keep well!! X

[Burlingham]

Hi years ago I had really bad bleeding gums and was constantly adviced by my dentist ( saw I different one each time due to them not me) and saw hygienist. So I got to the stage where I scrub them after each meal. Eventually I went to the hospital where I found out I had severe pernicious anemia. Consultant said bleeding gums can be a symptom. So if you have any other symptoms besides bleeding gums get a blood test. Wish I had.

[Chelle_ in reply to Burlingham]

I am severely anaemic have been for a long time. My mums got pernicious anaemia. She’s doing ok though. B12 injections and a good diet. Mines due to bleeding. In my stomach, gums, legs....it’s all down to liver disease I have. 3 years after posting this I still have bleeding gums....I hope your finding a way of staying well!

[Burlingham in reply to Chelle_]

I have b12 injections. But never had gum disease until I started brushing my teeth too hard. That's why I wish I'd have put all my symptoms together and gone to the doctor's sooner.

[Chelle_ in reply to Burlingham]

Ah ok. I use a soft brush. I started with that a long time ago and special tooth paste to stop my mouth from drying out. It’s better than it used to be.

[Burlingham]

Yeh I changed dentist eventually and the new dentist told me I was damaging my gums. A lot better now but once you've got gum disease it's difficult if nearly impossible to get rid of it.

[Chelle_ in reply to Burlingham]

Certainly is. Best of luck. I hope it doesn’t return .

[Burlingham in reply to Chelle_]

Thankd