If you skip one step when brushing your teeth, it’s as if you have not done anything at all.

Do you notice blood when brushing your teeth? It may be time to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Dentist Rūta Zykutė explains why gums bleed, how often you should floss, and how to make it a regular habit.

Is dental floss an extra or a must?

“My advice is to definitely use dental floss or an interdental brush, because the spaces between your teeth are where bacteria build up the most. They multiply there because it’s a great place for them as it is warm and moist there,” explains the doctor.

According to her, going to bed without cleaning between your teeth with dental floss or a special brush is like going to bed without brushing your teeth at all. For this reason, Dentist Rūta Zykutė suggests doing yourself a favour and trying to make oral hygiene a habit. According to her, it only takes 21 days.

“In that time, both harmful and useful habits develop. After 21 days, a conditioned reflex forms and you don’t have to think about it or remember to do it. Once the habit has developed naturally, your subconscious will remind you,” says the dentist.

The dentist says that while visiting Scandinavia, she noticed that even very young children clean between their teeth with dental floss using their little fingers. Although this seems complicated, children, like adults, just need to develop a habit of doing this regularly. This would prevent other dental problems.

According to the dentist’s advice, a complete dental care routine should include brushing your teeth with a toothbrush for two to three minutes at least twice a day and cleaning between your teeth with dental floss or a special interdental brush.

Why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth?

When brushing our teeth or interdental spaces, we may notice that our gums are more sensitive and that we have dental problems if there is blood in our saliva. In most cases, bleeding definitely means that we are doing something wrong with our oral hygiene or have serious dental problems. According to doctor Rūta Zykutė, bleeding gums are the first sign that you need to see a dentist. She agrees that this may also be related to the incorrect use of dental floss.

“Perhaps your technique is wrong, you may have scratched your gums or you may be using it incorrectly, because the floss should be inserted between the teeth and wrapped around the tooth. Once you have wrapped it around the tooth, clean it, then move on to the next tooth and continue cleaning. But I have noticed that the cause is usually more serious.

Most likely, tartar, which is mineralised bacteria on the teeth has already formed. Tartar is bacteria that mineralises on the tooth and causes gum inflammation because it presses on the gums. The gums do not like being pressed against the tooth, so they swell, the blood vessels become more permeable and they start to press on the bone, which then begins to dissolve. When blood vessels become permeable (when the gums start to bleed), bacteria enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body,” explains the doctor.

According to the doctor, it is precisely because of these consequences that bleeding gums should be considered a warning sign for people with cardiovascular disease. She points out that as long as there is an infection in the mouth, patients find it more difficult to heal or may not even recover completely.

Toothpaste designed to reduce gum bleeding will not solve the problem

Dentist Rūta Zykutė also draws attention to the frequently advertised special toothpastes that are supposed to help stop gum bleeding. According to her, these toothpastes only remove the symptom of the problem that is visible to the naked eye. She still recommends consulting a specialist to stop gum bleeding.