Brush Til You Bleed? (Addressing New Myths about Teeth)

Have you heard one of the more popular myths about teeth, “brush until you bleed”? It suggests that you haven’t brushed your teeth well enough if you haven’t made your gums bleed. Is it true? Nope. Here are some facts to clear up these myths about teeth:

Truth: If Your Teeth Bleed Every Time You Brush Them, Something Is Wrong

As far as dental care advice goes, this one is pretty straightforward. If you brush your teeth regularly, your teeth should not bleed every time you brush them. For example, say you brush your teeth without fail twice a day, and therefore your teeth generally bleed twice a day. That is cause for concern, so you should probably talk over your brushing habits with our Boise dentists. Below are the three most common problems:

Problem #1: You Aren’t a Regular Brusher

Let’s say you only get around to brushing your teeth once or twice a week, and every time you brush, your teeth bleed. This is a little more understandable since your teeth aren’t used to it.

The solution, of course, is to brush your teeth more often so that your teeth are not bothered by brushing. Remember that you only get one set of teeth, so treat them well and keep them happy with good dental hygiene and cavity prevention by regular brushing.

Problem #2: You Brush Too Aggressively

You can brush your teeth every day and still have your gums bleed. In fact, some Boise dentists see this as their number one problem. By brushing too aggressively, you can irritate your gums and even wear away the enamel on your teeth, leaving them more vulnerable to cavities and infection.

The solution? Take a longer, gentler approach. It shouldn’t hurt to brush your teeth. Take your time to gently cover each area for the best cavity prevention, being careful not to press too hard.

Problem #3: You Have Gum Disease

If you are brushing regularly and know that you are not brushing too aggressively, you could have gum disease. With gum disease, your gums become sensitive, swollen, and red. They will bleed much more easily. This is usually caused by bacteria getting trapped in or around the gums, but it can also be aggravated by smoking, some medical conditions, and some medications.

The solution: Talk to our Boise dentists to create a treatment plan to get rid of the gum disease as well as to address the aggravating source.

Do your gums bleed when you brush?