What's causing my inflamed gums?

[Preminstreltension]

I have been struggling with inflamed gums for a year or so. I'm brushing and flossing obviously and since April have been no-sugar so it's not diet or dental hygiene. Dentist just tells me to floss even more than I am but I'm wondering if there's something else going on. Vitamin deficiency? I am hypothyroid but I haven't come across any suggestion that those two things are related.

This is yet another symptom of hypothyroidism, so yes, it is related. Are you optimally medicated?

Are your B12, folate, vitamin D and iron/ferritin also optimal?

Maybe rethink the dental hygiene- your dentist doesn't sound the best TBH.

I was told to use a round electric toothbrush (already do ) teepee brushes not floss- they really do get the gunge out, mouthwash, and also (by a previous dentist) to ensure I had enough Vit C in my diet. Also a trip to the hygienist every 3 months for a year.

If the inflammation is on-going and none of the above helps, your dentist ought to suggest a peridontal clean under the gums.

I'd look at all of this before you associate with your other health issues.

Do you grind your teeth at night? I had awful gums until I got a guard for at night and now they are bloody good if o say so myself. Grinding cause pockets which are hard to clean and easily infected.

thanks for all the other suggestions. I should have said, I found teepee brushes really hard to use. My teeth are very tight together so even the thin ones struggle and floss works better for me. I had also been using Corsodyl for months but it really wasn't making any difference. But yes perhaps I need a different dentist - and yes I do grind my teeth so that could also be a factor.

thanks for the suggestions. I need a new dentist now!

Teepees work a treat if you can persevere- they are supposed to be a tight fit- I use the blue then the red for the smaller spaces.

Have you been seeing a hygienist too? My dentist 'allows' me to have an extra appt in between the usual 6 monthly deep cleans- so every 3-4 months. If you aren't getting all the plaque and scale removed often enough no amount of cleaning at home will work.

I have just had a tooth extracted as I have had bad gums that were constantly inflamed and was also suffering from gum boils. Like you I brush and floss regularly and visit the hygenist privately. Both dentist and hygenist said I couldnt be brushing properly, then I had a huge gum boil that started to hurt and the dentist then decided to x ray my teeth and she could see a small infection of a tooth that had been previously root treated so the options were to re root fill it at a prv price of 800 pound or extract the tooth - after 6 months of umming and arghing and the gums getting worse I had it extracted on tuesday very simple and painless -but on the end of this tooth was a huge cyst and all the pus from it had been leaking into my gums causing all my problems. So may be worth asking for an xray of the teeth.. HTH xx

Dentist here. See a hygienist. Your oral hygiene is likely to be the culprit. Do you smoke? If so, don't. Get a referral to a periodontist: unlikely to be NHS. See your GP to check for systemic causes like deficiencies and blood disorders.

Add vitamin C as well to your diet.

Have never smoked. And I am going to the hygienist regularly (just booked my third visit this year). But I think I need more. My hypothyroid is sort of managed by my gp but not very carefully and I think I need to go back to my specialist. And I will seek out a periodontist. Thank you.

I had bleeding gums in a couple of parts of my upper jaw and it's only in the last couple of months that the bleeding when I brush appears to have stopped. I put this down to the religious use of the teepee brushes every day (last clean of the day at bedtime) and really making sure that I clean every side of every tooth and the gums for a full 2 minutes.

it might also be worth getting a second opinion from another dentist and to see a hygienist. Gum disease is often not diagnosed / treated properly in general practice. It's the biggest cause of tooth loss in adults, and also a big cause of dento - legal cases. Just saying....

I cured my gum pockets (had for over a year) by using coconut oil as a mouth wash twice a d. Dentist was pleased at sudden level of improvement and said there is research now to back up coconut oil in dental care.

Not sure about that research, I've certainly not seen any. Armani would be good to advise, she loves gums

my latest addition to my teeth and gum care arsenal i s a water pic. It directs a small jet of yk to the gums an d washes out any food particles, seeds etc that love to lodge in there. My gums are so much better since the month of using this item. I've nearly quit with the flossing. Also use an electric tooth brush an d a regular toothbrush. Yep avoid the dentist at all costs soo----

Are you a mouth breather? as IMO this can cause inflamed gums if your oral hygiene is impeccable.Also some medicines can cause this. What are you taking?

more vitamin C

I had inflamed gums. One area in particular used to feel so sore and would bleed. I flossed more, brushed more, mouthwashed, switched to corsodyl mouthwash and toothpaste. None of that worked. What did work was taking a zinc supplement. I haven't had a problem with my gums ever since.