{"id":445,"date":"2023-08-15T17:04:31","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T17:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/?p=445"},"modified":"2023-10-02T17:10:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T17:10:04","slug":"why-are-my-gums-soft-and-spongy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/why-are-my-gums-soft-and-spongy\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Are My Gums Soft and Spongy?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_490105920-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Lower half of a woman's face showing her smiling and pushing her lip up with her pointer to show her gums\" class=\"wp-image-446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_490105920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_490105920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_490105920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_490105920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_490105920-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>We all know that proper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/family-and-preventive-dentistry.html\">preventative dental care<\/a> includes brushing our teeth twice a day. You\u2019ve probably also been told that flossing is just as important. This is because oral health extends to more than just our teeth- our gums are equally as important!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Healthy gums should look pale pink, firm, and should fit snuggly around your teeth. If your gums seem soft, spongy, or are bleeding, then you may be seeing signs of more serious issues. Keep reading to learn more about what this means and what you can do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Are My Gums Soft And Spongy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you notice that your gums are soft or bleeding, it\u2019s usually indicative of an underlying condition that needs to be addressed. There are a couple of possibilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li><strong>Periodontitis (gum disease).<\/strong> Bacteria that flourish on or under our gums cause inflammation. If left untreated, it can spread and deteriorate surrounding bone structure which can even lead to tooth loss.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scurvy.<\/strong> This refers to an extreme vitamin C deficiency. Without it, connective tissues begin to deteriorate, which loosens the gums and teeth. We don\u2019t naturally produce it ourselves, so we have to get it from our diet. <s><\/s><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>That means eating well makes as much of an impact on our dental health as brushing and flossing our teeth. There\u2019s no better reason to start making some changes if you\u2019ve had less-than-ideal habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Can I Do About Spongy Gums?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether due to periodontitis or scurvy, softer gums can be impacted by what we put into our systems. For example, avoiding foods that are highly sugary or acidic can prevent gum disease. Sugar attracts unhealthy bacteria that can infect the gums, so limiting your intake can improve your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your gum tenderness is due to scurvy, then you need to eat foods high in vitamin C! Generally, you can get what your body needs from citrus fruits, though tomatoes and some leafy greens (like kale and parsley) also have higher contents of vitamin C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Call Your Dentist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As ever, if you\u2019re experiencing unusual symptoms like spongy gums, then please reach out to your dentist! While part of your problem could be nutrition, it could also be due to poor dental hygiene. A dentist can examine the condition of your pearly whites to look for signs of gum disease, cavities, or other concerns. Keeping up a regular schedule of cleanings and checkups ensures that if something comes up, your dentist can catch it and treat it before it gets worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re experiencing soft or bleeding gums, then don\u2019t hesitate! You can pick up healthy habits today that will help turn things around. Additionally, call your dentist and they\u2019re sure to be able to offer treatments that can help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At Berquist Family Dentistry, you\u2019ll receive exceptional care from the father-son team of Dr. Robert Berquist and Dr. Daniel Berquist. With years of expertise, they can meet the oral health care needs of you and your whole family. If you\u2019ve noticed you have spongy, bleeding gums, then you are welcome to request an appointment on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/crown-point.html\">website<\/a> or call (219) 226-0544.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We all know that proper preventative dental care includes brushing our teeth twice a day. You\u2019ve probably also been told that flossing is just as important. This is because oral health extends to more than just our teeth- our gums are equally as important! Healthy gums should look pale pink, firm, and should fit snuggly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Are My Gums Soft and Spongy? | Berquist Family Dentistry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If your gums are soft and spongy it could mean there\u2019s a more serious problem. Keep reading to learn more about what you can do!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.berquistdentistry.com\/blog\/why-are-my-gums-soft-and-spongy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Are My Gums Soft and Spongy? | Berquist Family Dentistry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If your gums are soft and spongy it could mean there\u2019s a more serious problem. 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