Metal Mouth Message Board

So I go to brush my teeth today and as I spit out some of the toothpaste...
BLOOD and a lot of it!!!!

My electric tooth brush was bright red!!!
I didnt notice any pain so I look in the mirror to see where its coming from and its gushing out blood
Now my gums have been bleeding a tiny bit when I brush them lately but nothing like this

Im terrified now.. I have an adjustment on wednesday so I'll wait till then to talk to my ortho

Ive brushed a few times today and it hasnt bled anything like that since... but im worried

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experianced a lot of blood before and also did it eventually stop bleeding after better brushing and flossing?

edit: ah so i just noticed i think its pussing when i poked my gums with my finger

After reading your post, I just remembered that this happened to me two days ago. I'm new into this, so I didn't freak out too much. I do remember after spitting there was a lot of blood too! For me, I had flossed earlier in the day, so I think I may have over done it. It took me about 10 swishes of water to quit too! And, my toothbrush was soaked in bright red blood also.

Perhaps you can call and speak to someone at the ortho's office?

How long have you been using your electric toothbrush? How long has it been since you got your braces? Do you think you might be brushing too hard? Do you feel confident about your flossing technique? My dentist told me a lot of the time people get gingivitis because they have "bad technique" when brushing or flossing, and that braces will only make things worse if you don't have a good technique. My suggestion: salt water rinses, use a small soft-bristle toothbrush and brush gently on your teeth and along your gumline. And floss, floss, floss.

uhm ive been ususing my electric one on and off since i got my braces... i use the batteries from my digital cam for it, so if they arent in the toothbrush i use my normal brush

i dont think im brushing too hard but i dont think im flossing properly...

ive had my braces for about 7 months now i think

How long has it been since your last cleaning? I think you should go to the dentist and have your teeth cleaned. Ask the dental hygienist how to floss properly with your braces on because that's probably why your gums are bleeding.

Add a teaspoon of salt into a 8 oz cup of warm water and take a few rinses out of it. About 15 seconds should do it. Do that for a week and see if that helps your gums a little.

Oh, and you might find this interesting: http://www.drsalexander.com/brushingandflossing.html
It's a visual on how to floss your teeth with braces on.

ah thank you so much!!!! yah its been a couple months since i had a cleaning from the dentist.. i just went off my parents dental plan a couple weeks ago tho

Good that I had 4 cleaning appointments at my ortho, who tough me quite alot of useful information about what todo and what not todo. But I never got any blood, except after wisdom teeth extraction and when I first tried the interdental brush between my teeth, because the space was very small and the interdental brush damaged the gum a small bit, but only the first 2-3 times. I don't bleed anymore. I also heard the gum gets weaker from smoking alot!, maybe you are a smoker?

Hmmm, puss sounds like infection to me. I'd call my ortho today and ask if they can fit you in today or tomorrow. They will tell you most likely to gargle with salt water as stated above. That's what I would do.

Yup... pus is a bad thing. Definitely see your ortho, or if you can't get in there, your dentist.

well since im in canada its a long weekend, theres noway i can get in anywhere today everything is closed

i'll keep doing salt water rinses until i go see the ortho

also i just rememberd i had a couple drink the night before this happend
alcohol thins blood doesnt it? maybe thats why it bled so much compared to just a bit

Yea alcohol and aspirin(ASS) both thin blood. And smoking cigarettes increase the chance of gum infections by 700% regarding to wikipedia. So I stop these days and I'm curious if you are a smoker too ?

no i don't smoke

FLOSSING Hmm I hate to have to admit this but after having problems flossing I haven't really flossed once a day I floss more like once a week. Should I be flossing daily?

SDFD TSchott
CODE 4

Once a day would be best, but every 2nd day is enough too, once a week is a bit to less of flossing. And no flossing at all is of course very bad, I still know people who reject flossing cos they claim it has no sense Oo The stuff I get out of beneath my teeth every 2nd day is the best reason I can think of..

i floss or try to floss daily. I can't really get every tooth currently but i'm trying. But before i got these braces last week i flossed twice a day