A TikTok dentist has shared the reasons why you should keep brushing your gnashers – even if they bleed.
Anna Peterson, a dental therapist, has seen many patients in her seven years of practice, witnessing many different dental issues.
Now, she has dished the dirt on how your gums bleeding is actually a good thing and, with the consistency of a top-notch dental routine, you can have gleaming, blood-free pearly whites in no time.
In a video shared to TikTok (@annapetersondental), she explained that whilst flossing, spotting blood isn’t all bad, and by flossing daily it will disappear, with the clip gaining over 1.2m views and 91,000 likes.
“When you floss or brush your teeth, you should be brushing/flossing right up to the gum,” the 29-year-old, from Essex, England, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
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“Actually, you should ensure the toothbrush bristles are brushing the gum and the floss is going slightly under the gum margin.
“If you notice bleeding when you’re doing this… KEEP GOING!”
Anna says that bleeding gums show inflammation and doesn’t always mean worst-case scenario.
She said: “Bleeding in an area shows us where the gum is inflamed.
“It doesn’t mean we have injured or caused trauma to the area whilst brushing/flossing.”
Despite a little bleeding not being cause for concern, she says that bleeding could be more severe in some cases and advises to spend longer brushing those problem areas.
She said: “Bleeding shows us areas of gum disease, and that could be early stages (gingivitis) or potentially a more severe stage of gum disease (periodontitis).
“Any areas of bleeding need more attention.
“So spend longer in areas of bleeding.
“You need the floss to go under the gum slightly, and most people keep the floss above the gum which won’t remove the bacteria causing gum disease.”
But, if you’re partial to a cigarette, warning signs of gum disease could be hiding.
Anna explained that smoking can actually prevent the gums from bleeding- leaving smokers at risk and with more than they bargained for.
She added: “Gum disease can go unnoticed in people who smoke.”
“People who smoke are not only more at risk of getting gum disease, but they are not getting the warning signs of gum disease as well.
Social media users thanked the dentist for her advice and shared their thoughts on her tips.
Noura said: “I use water floss and it bleeds a lot I thought I was being harsh. Thank you!”
Another user said: “I thought I was flossing too hard.”
Another user said: “Exactly! I floss every day and it almost never bleeds. I remember when I started there was blood everywhere and it hurt.”
Dani said: “After 20 years of denial phobia, I’m on a journey and have been using floss and teepees and omg the difference!”
Cat said: “A new dentist told me this and it’s great that you are confirming it too. Thank you.”
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