Bleeding Gums Are Not Normal — Here Is What They Mean

Most people who see blood in the sink assume they brushed too hard. Occasionally that is true, but far more often bleeding gums mean gingivitis — inflammation caused by plaque sitting along the gum line.

Healthy gums do not bleed. They are firm and pale pink. Gums that are red, puffy, tender or bleeding are reacting to bacteria, and the instinct to brush that area more gently makes it worse, because the plaque stays.

The good news is that gingivitis is reversible. Thorough brushing twice a day, cleaning between the teeth daily, and a professional cleaning to remove hardened tartar will usually settle it within a couple of weeks.

What you should not do is ignore it for months. Untreated gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, where the bone supporting the teeth is lost. That is not reversible — it can be halted, but the bone does not come back, and it is the most common reason adults lose teeth that were never decayed.

If your gums have been bleeding for more than two weeks, have them looked at.