Seeing blood around your braces when you brush can be worrying. You might wonder whether the braces are damaging your gums or whether something is going wrong with your treatment.
Braces don’t usually make healthy gums bleed directly. However, brackets and wires can make brushing and cleaning between your teeth more challenging. Food and plaque can collect around orthodontic appliances and, if plaque remains around the gumline, the gums can become inflamed and bleed.
A wire or other part of the appliance can also sometimes rub against the gums or other tissues in the mouth and cause local irritation.
Concerned About Bleeding Gums with Braces?
Get expert advice on the cause of your gum bleeding and personalised care to keep your gums healthy.
So, while some discomfort and irritation can occur when braces are first fitted or adjusted, regular gum bleeding shouldn’t simply be assumed to be a normal part of having braces.
Can Braces Cause Your Gums to Bleed?
Braces can contribute indirectly to bleeding gums.
Brackets, wires and other orthodontic components create additional areas that need to be cleaned carefully. Food can also become trapped around brackets.
The Australian Dental Association recommends paying particular attention to brushing and cleaning between the teeth while wearing braces.
When plaque remains around the gumline, the gums can become inflamed. This is known as gingivitis, and bleeding during brushing or interdental cleaning is a common sign.
In other situations, bleeding may come from local irritation or injury caused by part of the orthodontic appliance.
If bleeding occurs regularly, a dental professional or orthodontist can help determine the cause.
Why Do My Gums Bleed With Braces?
There are several possible reasons.
Plaque Buildup
Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria that accumulates on the teeth.
Brackets and wires can make some tooth surfaces more difficult to reach with a toothbrush.
If plaque isn’t removed effectively, particularly around the gumline, it can contribute to gingivitis.
Food Trapped Around Brackets
Food can become trapped around orthodontic brackets and wires.
The Australian Dental Association recommends brushing after meals while wearing braces because food can become caught around the brackets.
Regular brushing and cleaning between the teeth helps remove food and plaque from these harder-to-reach areas.
Difficulty Cleaning Properly
You may be brushing regularly but still missing areas around the brackets or gumline.
Wearing braces changes the way you need to clean your teeth.
The Australian Dental Association recommends carefully brushing around the gumline and cleaning both above and below orthodontic brackets.
Cleaning between the teeth is also important.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is a common form of gum disease caused by plaque accumulating along the gumline.
The gums may become:
- Red
- Swollen
- Tender or sore
- Prone to bleeding
Healthdirect identifies bleeding during brushing as a common symptom of gingivitis.
Mechanical Irritation
A wire or other part of an orthodontic appliance can sometimes rub against the tissues in your mouth.
Healthdirect notes that braces and other dental devices can cause scratches or cuts when a wire rubs against the cheeks or gums.
This type of bleeding may be localised to the area being irritated rather than occurring generally around the gumline.
Is It Normal for Gums to Bleed After Getting Braces?
Some discomfort can occur after braces are first fitted or following an adjustment.
Healthdirect notes that people starting orthodontic treatment may experience mild discomfort, as well as scratches or ulcers inside the mouth while adjusting to the appliance.
However, persistent gum bleeding shouldn’t automatically be considered a normal consequence of braces.
If your gums regularly bleed during brushing or interdental cleaning, particularly if they are also red or swollen, plaque-related inflammation may be present.
Gingivitis can often be managed by improving plaque control and, where appropriate, receiving professional dental care.
If you’re unsure why your gums are bleeding, a dental professional can assess them.
Can Braces Cause Gum Disease?
Braces themselves aren’t the cause of plaque-related gingivitis.
However, wearing braces can make effective plaque removal more challenging.
If plaque remains around the teeth and gumline, gingivitis can develop. If gingivitis isn’t appropriately managed, it can progress to a more serious form of gum disease called periodontitis.
This is one reason maintaining good oral hygiene is particularly important throughout orthodontic treatment.
The Australian Dental Association recommends careful brushing around braces and regular cleaning between the teeth to help maintain oral health during treatment.
How Can I Stop My Gums From Bleeding With Braces?
The appropriate approach depends on why your gums are bleeding.
If plaque-related inflammation is contributing, improving your daily cleaning routine is important.
Brush Carefully Around the Brackets
Use fluoride toothpaste and clean carefully around the brackets and gumline.
The Australian Dental Association recommends brushing the gumline with the toothbrush positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle and using gentle movements.
You should also clean above and below the brackets.
People wearing braces may be advised to brush after meals because food can become trapped around the orthodontic appliances.
Clean Between Your Teeth
Cleaning between your teeth can be more challenging with braces, but it remains important.
Options may include:
- Floss threaders
- Interdental brushes
- Other cleaning aids recommended by your dental or orthodontic team
The Australian Dental Association notes that interdental brushes can help clean both between the teeth and around orthodontic brackets.
Your dental professional or orthodontic team can demonstrate techniques appropriate for your appliance.
Don’t Stop Cleaning Because You See Blood
It can be tempting to avoid an area because it bleeds when you clean it.
However, the Australian Dental Association advises that bleeding from inflamed gums doesn’t mean you should stop cleaning between your teeth.
Continue cleaning gently and regularly.
If you are cleaning effectively and your gums continue to bleed, arrange an assessment to determine whether there is another cause.
Keep Your Dental and Orthodontic Appointments
Orthodontic appointments allow your treatment and appliances to be monitored.
Regular dental examinations are also important for assessing your teeth and gums throughout treatment.
Your dental professional and orthodontist may work together where necessary to help maintain your oral health while your teeth are being moved.
What If a Braces Wire Is Making My Gum Bleed?
If bleeding is coming from one particular area where a wire or another part of the appliance is rubbing, local irritation or injury may be responsible.
Healthdirect confirms that orthodontic wires can cause scratches or cuts to the cheeks or gums.
Contact your orthodontic practice if a wire or appliance is damaged, protruding or repeatedly irritating the tissues in your mouth.
Depending on the situation, orthodontic wax may be used temporarily to protect the irritated area until appropriate advice or treatment can be provided.
Avoid making permanent changes to your orthodontic appliance yourself unless specifically instructed by your orthodontic team.
If bleeding continues after the source of irritation has been addressed, the gums should also be assessed.
When Should You Get Bleeding Gums Checked?
Arrange an assessment with a dental professional or orthodontic team if your gums:
- Bleed frequently
- Remain swollen
- Are persistently red or tender
- Are associated with ongoing bad breath or an unpleasant taste
- Appear to be receding
- Continue bleeding despite regular oral hygiene
You should also contact your orthodontic team if a broken or protruding wire is repeatedly injuring your gum, cheek or other tissues.
Healthdirect recommends seeing a dental professional if you have swollen or bleeding gums.
Persistent gum problems are worth addressing during orthodontic treatment rather than waiting until the braces are removed.
Do You Need to Stop Wearing Braces?
Bleeding gums don’t automatically mean that braces need to be removed.
The appropriate response depends on what is causing the bleeding and the health of your teeth and gums.
A dental professional or orthodontist may recommend measures such as:
- Improving plaque control
- Adjusting your cleaning technique
- Professional dental cleaning where appropriate
- Addressing an irritating or damaged orthodontic component
- Further assessment or management of gum disease if present
Healthdirect notes that orthodontic treatment isn’t suitable when teeth and gums are unhealthy.
If significant gum problems develop during treatment, your dental professional and orthodontist can assess whether any changes to your treatment are required.
Don’t stop or modify orthodontic treatment yourself because your gums are bleeding.
Have the cause assessed instead.
The Bottom Line
So, can braces cause gum bleeding?
Braces can contribute to bleeding gums, but the cause is often indirect.
Brackets and wires can make plaque removal more challenging, and plaque accumulating around the gumline can cause gingivitis. Inflamed gums may then bleed during brushing or interdental cleaning.
Orthodontic wires or other components can also occasionally cause local irritation or injury to the gums.
Some discomfort or irritation can occur when braces are fitted or adjusted, but persistent bleeding shouldn’t simply be accepted as part of orthodontic treatment.
Maintain careful oral hygiene, clean around the gumline and brackets, and continue cleaning between your teeth.
If your gums continue to bleed or an orthodontic component is repeatedly irritating the tissues in your mouth, arrange an assessment with your dental professional or orthodontic team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Persistent gum bleeding shouldn’t automatically be considered a normal part of having braces.
Bleeding during brushing or interdental cleaning can be associated with plaque-related gingivitis.
A wire or other orthodontic component may also occasionally cause local irritation or injury.
If bleeding occurs regularly, have the cause assessed.
No.
If your gums are inflamed, stopping brushing or interdental cleaning can allow more plaque to accumulate.
Continue cleaning gently and thoroughly.
The Australian Dental Association advises that bleeding from inflamed gums doesn’t mean you should stop cleaning between your teeth.
If regular cleaning doesn’t improve the bleeding, arrange an assessment with a dental professional.
Braces don’t directly cause plaque-related gingivitis, but they can make plaque more difficult to remove.
If plaque builds up around the teeth and gumline, the gums can become inflamed and may bleed.
Careful brushing and interdental cleaning are particularly important while wearing braces.
If a wire is protruding, damaged or repeatedly rubbing against your gum, contact your orthodontic practice for advice.
Healthdirect notes that orthodontic wires can cause scratches or cuts to the gums and other tissues in the mouth.
Orthodontic wax may sometimes be used temporarily to protect an irritated area.
Avoid permanently cutting, bending or modifying the appliance yourself unless instructed by your orthodontic team.
