Bruised Gums: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

A bruised gum may look like discoloration when it was hit or scratched. Just like you can get a bruise on your body, you can also get a bruise on your gums.

Bruised gums could be caused by a mild trauma such as eating something sharp. It can also be caused by dental work or certain medical conditions.

You can usually treat this with home remedies such as a cold compress or wet gauze. It often heals within a few weeks, but it may take longer if a medical condition has been caused that needs to be treated by a health care provider.

This article discusses the symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment of bruised gums.

What do bruised gums look like?

A bruised gum may be a different color than the rest of your gums. They may appear dark brown, black, purple or red.

In addition to the change in color, a bruise on your gums can be painful and may or may not bleed.

What causes bruised gums?

Causes of bruised gums include:

• Very hard thread: Flossing is a necessary step in maintaining a healthy mouth and healthy gums. It is important to floss daily to prevent plaque build-up and wear and tear on your teeth. There are several ways to floss, including pre-flossing, water flossing, and dental floss. Flossing is the most common and there are times when the gums can be sensitive or a person can floss too hard against them. This can cause bleeding and bruising. Additionally, bleeding and bruising may be due to another medical condition.
• Falling flat on my face: Bruised gums can happen with a fall or injury. Depending on the person’s age and the type of activity—whether related to sports, a fall from tripping, or due to weak bones—a fall on the face can cause bruised gums. A bruise is a rupture or rupture of small blood vessels below the surface. If you have fallen on your face and your gums are bruised, check other areas of your face and mouth for additional injury or bruising. A chipped tooth may be present, as well as damage to the lips, jaw, or other areas of the face and mouth. Applying ice to the bruised area will help with minor injuries.
• Eating something sharp: Eating something sharp or crunchy or poking your mouth with a sharp object can also cause bruised gums. For example, biting into a crispy chip, using a toothpick or eating from a fork or skewer can all cause an accidental puncture leading to bruising and sometimes bleeding.
• Trauma or injury to the mouth: If there is trauma or injury to the mouth, the gums may bruise. If an object hits the mouth, or there is an injury or fall, depending on the severity, bruising and swelling will develop which can be severe. It may also take some time to heal. Along with bruised gums, other injuries can occur, such as broken or fractured bones, a dislocated jaw, or a cut inside the mouth or lip due to the trauma or injury. If there is an injury or trauma to your mouth, contact a medical professional to get proper diagnosis and treatment.
• Dental work: Accidental trauma from dental work can cause bruising. An amalgam tattoo can also look like bruised gums. Amalgam tattoos are caused by particles of amalgam (silver filling) entering the gum tissue, usually when a filling is placed or removed. It is painless and can be blue-gray or black in color. The most common location is the gums next to a filling, but it can also appear inside the cheeks, lips, tongue, or roof of the mouth.
• Teething in babies: Typically, between 6 months and 1 year a baby’s teeth begin to grow. A baby is born with 20 teeth below the gum line, and by age 3, most baby teeth have grown. When the teeth begin to grow and teething occurs, the gums are sensitive and may bruise. This can come from teething itself or from the items babies use to soothe their gums. Bruised gums can be dark red, brown, blue, purple or translucent.
• Gingivitis: Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums most commonly caused by the buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth that irritate and inflame the gums. Inflammation can cause bleeding, swelling, and bright red or reddish-purple gums that look like bruises.
• Thrombocytopenia: Thrombocytopenia is a condition caused by a low blood platelet count. The body does not have enough platelets to form a blood clot to stop bleeding at the site of the wound or cut. If a person with this condition is injured or cut, a lot of bleeding can occur because the platelets are low and the blood cells cannot form together to form clots to stop it. This can cause the person to bleed excessively. Some of the symptoms include bleeding gums, easy bruising and purple, brown or red bruising when bruised.

Diagnosis of bruised gums

Which health care provider you see for a diagnosis depends on why your gums are bruised.

There are a few factors to consider as to why your gums are bruised. The reasons include:

• Damage
• Wound
• Eating something sharp
• Another condition like gingivitis

If you’ve fallen and your condition is minor enough to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider, he or she can help evaluate your injury and refer you to a specialist if necessary. If the injury is extreme, seek emergency care.

A teething baby will be seen by their pediatrician or other health care provider, with a possible referral to a dentist.

If bruised gums are related to a problem specifically with the mouth and teeth, a dentist can help you identify the problem and give you a diagnosis and treatment plan.

A health care provider or dentist will usually ask questions about your symptoms and—depending on the injury—take X-rays.

With a condition like thrombocytopenia, a health care provider will perform a physical exam and do a blood clot and blood test. If your platelet count is low, he may order one or more of the following:

• Bone marrow biopsy to help diagnose any cancer or disease of the bone marrow
• Imaging tests, such as a computed tomography (CT) scan or ultrasound, to check for enlarged lymph nodes, spleen or liver cirrhosis.

Cure for bruised gums

Treatment for bruised and swollen gums varies depending on the diagnosis and why they are swollen. Healing time will also vary, depending on why the gums are bruised and if there is a medical condition. The following may be treatment options:

• If it is a small bruise, it usually does not need treatment and will go away on its own. A cold compress and eating softer foods will help.
• For teething babies, avoid hard foods.
• Other treatments include soothing the gums with a cool small spoon, wet gauze, or a clean finger.

If there is a health condition associated with the bruise or an injury that caused it, a health care provider can help you diagnose and treat the problem.

A health care provider may order a blood transfusion to increase platelets if thrombocytopenia is diagnosed. Transfusion will be given if platelet levels are extremely low. Normal levels are 150,000 platelets per microliter of blood.

If the bruise is related to an enlarged spleen, a health care provider may recommend surgery to remove the spleen. Another option is steroids such as immunoglobulins or antibody proteins along with other drugs known to help stimulate platelet production and reduce platelet destruction.

Treatment of gum pain

If you have gum pain, there are things you can do on your own to reduce the pain, including:

• Avoid eating crunchy or sharp-edged foods
• Using a soft toothbrush
• Gently floss
• Rinse your mouth with warm salt water

If your gums hurt, over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or Motrin can help. If the pain is severe, call your dentist or healthcare provider so they can help you make the right decision about treatment options.

When to see a health care provider

Contact a health care provider if your bruises are caused by a fall, bump, or extreme injury. If you find that your gums are not improving or are extremely bruised, discolored, bleeding, or painful, you should also make an appointment. A doctor or dentist can help properly diagnose your condition and provide the right treatment options.