General Info about Bleeding gums
Bleeding gums is among the common conditions affecting the oral cavity. The Chinese might have noticed bleeding gums as early as 2500 BC. They termed the associated diseases as "Ya-Kon" which means diseases of soft tissue surrounding the teeth. This problem still continues to affect us even with so many modern facilities available in the field of oral care.
What are the causes of Bleeding Gums ?
Long standing inflammation of gums: Poor maintenance of the teeth, such as inadequate brushing or failure to rinse the mouth after meals results in a thin layer of food and bacteria covering the tooth surface. This bacterium is the chief culprit behind the inflammation. The gums during the stage of infection become soft, spongy and swollen. Trauma to the gums by hard brushing or tooth picking with sharp objects result in bleeding gums.
Bleeding can also be due to injury of the gums by any sharp food item e.g., fish bone. Hot food and chemicals can end up burning the gums, further resulting in bleeding. For e.g. some people still follow the practice of placing pain relieving tablets on the gum adjacent to the painful tooth, which invariably causes burns. Certain rapidly spreading infections can damage the blood vessels of the gums resulting in bleeding - eg. ANUG Deficiency of vitamin C and vitamin K can cause bleeding in the gums. Failure in blood clotting mechanism.
Resource: http://www.medicineNet.com