Socasusie,

Don't be silly..... I am here to help if I can!

Bleeding gums are a nasty side effect of many medications. The best thing to do is to continue to brush and floss thoroughly to keep the bacteria down. Avoid mouthwash because the alcohol and chemicals in these products will worsen the problem in that they reduce the salivary flow and pre dispose you to tooth decay.

There is really nothing you can do to eliminate it because the medication is what is causing it. Your gum tissue can also become enlarged and start to grow over your teeth. Regular brushing and flossing may help prevent that from happening.

Bryanna





QUOTE=socasusie;1018530]I'm hoping Bryanna isn't sick of me yet and wants to answer.

I'm on a new medication for Lupus, Cellcept. Normally, when my lupus is flaring my bottom gums are more swollen and recede a little. I noticed my top gums (front teeth) are red and swollen, and bleeding as well. My gums had been doing super well, in fact my last cleaning the person cleaning them commented that I had virtually no bleeding and to keep up whatever I'm doing. I called the pharmacist and swollen, bleeding gums are a side effect of cellcept.

Going off the medicine isn't currently an option. It's protecting my kidneys, and those are harder to replace than teeth/gums.

Do you have any suggestions on what might help? Obviously, I can do salt water rinses, but anything else? Oddly enough brushing doesn't appear to irritate them further.[/QUOTE]