Why Do My Gums Bleed If I Haven’t Flossed in a While?

All the bacteria in your mouth are anaerobic meaning they thrive in areas without oxygen.  Around each of your teeth is a cuff that should be approximately one to three millimeters in depth.  In a healthy mouth with healthy gums by brushing and flossing you’re able to keep these areas clean.

Your toothbrush can clean the top, back and fronts of your teeth.   However, the brush cannot get in between your teeth.  This is where dental floss comes in.  The dental floss can get in between your teeth to clean these areas.

When you brush your teeth you bring air into your mouth and the air has twenty percent oxygen.  The oxygen helps to kill the anaerobic bacteria which cause gum disease and tooth decay.  If you do not floss over time the pocket around your tooth becomes deeper.  Once the pocket is more than 4 millimeters deep even if you floss you are unable to reach the base of the pocket.

Food which can remain in the pocket after eating breaks down and releases acids.  Bacteria like dark, warm areas without oxygen and a source of food exactly the environment in your mouth.  The acids irritate your gums and make them more porous or fragile.  The net result is once touched by your tooth brush or floss your gums can begin to bleed. 

In the first phase of gum disease called gingivitis your gums become swollen and bleed upon flossing.  If this is not remedied in the next phase called periodontitis in addition to gum inflammation you begin to lose the bone holding your teeth in your jaws.  Left untreated the final outcome is tooth loss.

So what to do?  If you have not been to the dentist, come on in.  We’ll take a look and see what’s going on.  Next you need to clean your teeth daily once in the morning and then again in the evening.  Think about it.  When you go to sleep if you have not cleaned your teeth and gums it is a bacterial paradise.  So, before you go to sleep brush and floss and this will decrease the levels of bacteria present.  Also, nobody wants morning mouth.

Then upon waking brush and floss again to remove the bacteria that has built up during the night.  Your mouth will feel better and so will you.  So there it is.  Brush and floss in the morning and again at night and come twice per year to see your dentist and you’re on your way to dental health.

At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan we like teeth and the people attached to them.  If you need a dental exam and cleaning you’ve come to the right place.  Conveniently located at 1498 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets we know teeth and have been treating them for decades.

Times change but teeth don’t.  If you take care of them they will take care of you.                                       

So call today at 212 517 9000.  You’ll be glad you did.

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you

Sinus vs Abscessed Tooth?

What is the sign us?

No directional sign here.  But, your sinus is the area in your head above your teeth which is an air cavity.  Think of it as your own internal cave system.  One of the problems with the sinus is when you are not feeling well the area may become full of fluid which can cause you pain and pressure.  When your sinus is filled with fluid your teeth can start to hurt.   The question is whether it is sinus pain or an abscessed tooth.

If a tooth develops decay and if the decay becomes large it can cause the nerve within the tooth to die causing your tooth to start to hurt. You may feel a throbbing pain or start waking up at night.  Your ear on the same side as the involved tooth may also begin to hurt.  If you have these symptoms you probably have an abscessed tooth which will need a root canal treatment to relieve the pain.

Other times if a tooth or several teeth on one side of your head begin to hurt it is due to inflammation of your sinus.  If your sinus fills with liquid it puts pressure on your teeth, especially the posterior ones with large roots that may be within your sinus.  Your teeth are connected to your jaw by ligaments.  Think shock absorbers.  So if your sinus is full the teeth are pushed a little out of their housings and when you chew your lower teeth start banging into them.  Sometimes the roots of the teeth become exposed making your teeth more sensitive to hot and cold.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms give us a call at 212 517 9000.   At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit, DDS we pride ourselves in helping you resolve your dental problems.   Conveniently located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the 10028 zip code within one block of the 4,5,6 and Q subway lines, it is easy to access us.

If you are living in the 10021, 10075, or 10128 zip codes we are still within your area.  Just come up Third Avenue  between 84th and 85th streets directly across from McDonald’s and we are located in a five story brownstone on the second floor.

So, don’t delay. Call today. You’ll be glad you did.

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you.