Medication is often necessary to relieve an ailment or help maintain the normal processes of the body. However, medication can have side effects. You could be taking medication for your heart, for example, and find that it inadvertently affects the functioning of the mouth. This is normal, as the medication can cause oral complications, such as bleeding gums. There are some medicines that are more likely to cause the gums to bleed and we can help prevent this. If you are experiencing excessive bleeding gums, you should consult your doctor first.
What Medicine Causes Bleeding Gums?
Some medicines have a more obvious impact on the gums. For example, blood pressure medication can cause the gums to bleed because the medication can lead to small tissue reactions in the gum. This means that when the area is provoked, via brushing or flossing, it can result in bleeding. Patients with gum disease may have more difficulty with blood pressure medication as their gums are already weak. A type of medication with a more surprising link to bleeding gums is antidepressants. This is due to antidepressants' modulation of serotonin levels. Serotonin has a part in your blood clotting ability, so when their levels are affected, you may find that your gums are more prone to bleeding.
How to Relieve Bleeding Gums
While taking medication that can cause bleeding gums it is important to maintain excellent oral health to avoid irritation. This includes taking care to remove plaque and food debris from the mouth when brushing, reducing smoking to prevent damage and making adjustments to your diet. All these combined will decrease the likelihood of bleeding gums. Our office offers professional cleanings to remove any plaque and tartar buildups that will also help decrease irritation to the gums. If excessive gum bleeding is experienced, talk to us and we can discuss the treatment options. To book a check-up, contact our office now.
Dentist Bend, OR • Dental Blog • Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend Dr. Thomas E. Wold has created this blog to help educate the community. Like a Post? Please use the "share it" button to post to Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend, LLC - Thomas E. Wold DMD, 124 NW Hawthorne Ave. Bend, OR. 97703 ^ (541) 389-0261 ^ wolddmd.com ^ 3/19/2023 ^ Key Phrases: dentist Bend OR ^
Medication is often necessary to relieve an ailment or help maintain the normal processes of the body. However, medication can have side effects. You could be taking medication for your heart, for example, and find that it inadvertently affects the functioning of the mouth. This is normal, as the medication can cause oral complications, such as bleeding gums. There are some medicines that are more likely to cause the gums to bleed and we can help prevent this. If you are experiencing excessive bleeding gums, you should consult your doctor first.