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Gingival inflammation and bleeding: an overview

7 mins read Oral health and mouth cancer
Gingivitis and bleeding gums are commonplace. Gingival inflammation can progress into periodontitis and is also linked to a variety of health concerns. While gingivitis can often be resolved with good oral hygiene, some gum problems require referral for further investigation

During a dental appointment, patients often mention that their gums bleed. It is important for dental nurses to be able to recognise the signs, symptoms and causes of gum problems, understand their significance and know how to advise patients.

The aims of this article are to provide a basic guide to bleeding gums and to encourage dental nurses to undertake further research into the problem.

For the purpose of this article, it is assumed that dental nurses knows about the structure of the periodontium—the gingiva, periodontal ligament, cementum and alveolar bone.

Healthy gums are firm and pale pink, with an orange-peel stippled appearance.

Egelberg and Badersten (1994) describe the gingival margin as ‘thin and follows a wavy course across the dentition due to the presence of the interdental papillae, which fill the embrasures between the teeth’.

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