Dentists of the world are in a strange profession since their ultimate goal is to make everyone so healthy they are out of a job. Oral health is taught to children by parents, teachers, and on television shows. Despite the training we all receive, oral health is not perfect yet and the first sign of trouble is often receding gum.

A key factor to examine when you have receding gum is the intensity of the bleeding and the duration. The majority of bleeding cases are usually very mild and last at most a few days. The bleeding may return frequently, but will remain light and short in duration. The gums will usually only bleed when they are agitated such as by a toothbrush or floss. If the gums start bleeding spontaneously, it may be prudent to consult your doctor.

Periodontitis is the older cousin to gingivitis and much more destructive. receding gum are just the start for periodontitis but the frequency and volume of blood is much greater than gingivitis. The advanced disease will destroy the gums, teeth and even the jaw bones attached to the teeth if not treated fairly quickly.

If you have receding gum, what should you do about it? Panic and rush to the dentist? Probably not at first but if the bleeding continues for more than a few days, it is probably a good idea to check it out with the professionals. The likely cause is just irritated gums that have swelled a little and are leaking a small amount of blood when pressed or pulled.

One of the serious diseases that can cause lots of receding gum is diabetes. The elevated sugar levels in diabetes patients are bad for tissues and organs in the body. Eventually the imbalances will irritate and inflame organs and tissue areas such as the gums. If left without treatment the condition can result in tooth loss, jaw degradation and receding gums.

Nutrition is another possibly major problem that can manifest with receding gum. Most people know that vitamin C is very important to our bodies and our health, but are hard pressed to say why. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that keep tissues healthy and fight infections. Dramatically low levels of vitamin C can often lead to gums that are not healthy and bleed.

Infection can be another source of receding gum and is more serious than gingivitis. The gums can get infections from several different viruses or agents. The herpes virus can spread to the mouth and infect the gums leading to swelling and bleeding. Little sores will form and the areas around the teeth and gums will be very sore and red.

Periodontitis is an advanced and dangerous form of gum disease that causes significant receding gum. It usually starts as gingivitis but changes and actually starts destroying the gums and teeth including the bone structures around them. It can be treated successfully in most cases, but must be caught before too much tissue is destroyed.