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Five of the Most Common Reasons a Person Might Be Dealing with Sensitive Gums

July 27, 2020

Five of the Most Common Reasons a Person Might Be Dealing with Sensitive Gums

Are you living with sensitive gums? If so, you are likely wondering what the cause is. The truth is that it is not as easy as giving you a single cause. There are many potential reasons you could be dealing with sensitive gums. Keep reading to learn about five of those reasons and then contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 if you would like to make an appointment with a local dentist.

  1. There is Something Amiss in Their Brushing and Flossing Technique
  2. This is the simplest cause of all: your home oral hygiene is lacking in some way. It might be that you are brushing too hard. Remember that your gums are made of soft tissue and they can be easily damaged. You do want to remove food and bacteria from your mouth, but not if it means hurting your gums. Choose a soft toothbrush and brush in circles rather than up and down or back and forth.

  3. You Might Have Gum Disease
  4. The bad news is that gum disease is all too common. In fact, as many as 50% of Americans might have some fort of gum disease at any given time. The good news is that gum disease is caused by not brushing or flossing enough, so it is easy to prevent. If your gum disease has progressed to a serious level and is causing you pain, then you should visit your dentist to find out how we can treat it for you in office.

  5. You Might Have Additional Health Issues
  6. Gum disease is a health issue but there are other health issues that could cause your gums to be sensitive. For example, mouth ulcers (aka canker sores) can cause painful gums. Unfortunately, there is no cure for canker sores, though there are numbing gels that can reduce pain. Oral cancer can also cause painful gums, and chemotherapy can have the same effect.

  7. You Take Part in Unhealthy Habits
  8. There are certain lifestyle choices a person can make that would put them at higher risk of having sensitive gums. Using tobacco products, specifically smoking cigarettes, can be a serious gum irritant. In general, people who smoke have higher chances of getting gum disease compared to people who don’t. An unhealthy, high-sugar diet can also cause sensitive gums.

  9. You Might Be Going Through Hormonal Changes
  10. When a woman is dealing with hormonal changes, whether due to her monthly period, pregnancy, or menopause, she can have an increase in blood to the gums. This results in red, swollen, and sensitive gums. If this is the case, then you should talk to your dentist about how to best treat your gums during this time.

Which of these five issues is the reason that you have sensitive gums? The only way to know for sure is to talk to your dentist. You can do that by calling California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to make an appointment.

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