The Tribune

By Dr Sparkman Ferguson

Registrar of the Bahamas Dental Council

The experience of realising that blood is coming from the mouth can be a daunting one. This is not a normal occurence so if you experience it, you should see a dentist immediately.

This particular complaint is common but it originates in different places. Here are some common themes:

1 Night bleeding mouth

These persons complain that they awake every morning to see blood on their pillows.

The problem here is that the gums are very inflamed or infected and the condition is probably generalised and involves the entire mouth. Consistent with this is often someone who has severe gum disease. Also consistent with this is someone who probably has never had a professional dental visit, or one who has had very few professional visits.

When there is this type of infection present, appropriate gum treatment is necessary in order to restore gum health. Such treatments may involve the use of antibiotics, or require dental scaling and prophylaxis, or require dental deep scaling or more advanced periodontal treatments,

2 Sucking pressure bleeding

These persons complain of producing blood in the mouth when applying small sucking pressure to the gums.

The problem here is that the gums are swollen because of inflammation or infection and the person is seeking to press them back down to size. In doing so, blood and inflammatory fluids ooze from the swelling and flood the saliva.

When there is inflammation and/or infection in the gums, appropriate treatments are needed to eliminate them in order to restore gum health. Such treatments can range from antibiotic therapy to minor oral surgery.

3 Spontaneous bleeding mouth

These patients complain of blood appearing in their mouth and sputum for no apparent reason and complain that their mouth began bleeding without any provocation.

This particular concern can have several causes. These can range from conditions in the throat, or larynx, or nasal cavity, or stomach, or the mouth itself. In rare circumstances, a vitamin K deficiency may be the reason, or there could be an issue of blood clotting or the existence of a blood disease called hemophilia.

Conclusion

The majority of people who experience minor bleeding from the gums usually need to have a professional cleaning performed. It is a usual occurence that bleeding gums signal the need for a professional cleaning.

Whatever the case, a bleeding mouth is cause for much concern and should never be ignored. Very often, the concern is local (originating within the mouth) and can be managed by a general dentist or a periodontist (gum specialist).

When the cause is not local, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed involving the services of medical specialists.