If your eye suddenly started bleeding, you’d probably be on your way to A&E, pronto. But would you be so worried if you noticed your gums bleeding?

Gum disease is a preventable illness. All you need to do to make sure it doesn’t bother you is spend a few minutes every day giving your teeth a little bit of TLC to battle bleeding gums and make sure you keep all your teeth!

About gum disease

Gum disease is a very common problem and is usually caused by a sticky substance called plaque. Plaque is made when saliva combines with bacteria and leftover food debris. It irritates the gums and when we eat, the acids released by bacteria erode our enamel, making tooth decay a scary possibility.

But thankfully, there is an easy way to stop plaque from forming! All you need to do is brush twice a day for two minutes each time. This will get rid of bacteria and food debris, so plaque won’t stand a chance. And of course, it’ll make your teeth all sparkly clean too!

Spotting the signs of gum disease

Bleeding gums are the biggest red flag signalling gum disease, but it’s not the only warning sign. Your gums might feel sore and they could be swollen and red. If you spot any of these symptoms, call your dentist as soon as you can. It might turn out to be nothing, but if you do have gum disease, seeing your dentist early will make sure you get it treated before it’s too late.