Lately, my gums have been a bit more sensitive than they used to be. I never really thought much about it in my 20s, but now that I’m pushing 50, flossing sometimes makes them bleed a little and I swear they look puffier. My dentist mentioned something about gum disease being more common as we age (which, yay, another perk of getting older). Has anyone else noticed their gums acting up more with age? Any tips for keeping them happy?
Any tips for keeping them happy?
Totally get where you’re coming from. My kid actually started having some gum issues this year, which surprised me since I always thought that was an “older folks” thing. Turns out, gums can get cranky at any age. I’ve noticed my own are a bit more sensitive lately too—especially after popcorn or if I slack on flossing. Using a softer toothbrush helped a lot, and I started rinsing with salt water sometimes. Not glamorous, but it seems to calm things down. The dentist said stress can mess with your gums too... who knew?
The dentist said stress can mess with your gums too... who knew?
Funny you mention that—my dentist blamed stress for my bleeding gums a while back, and I honestly thought he was just making excuses. Turns out, when I retired and things slowed down, my gums did too. I still swear by my water flosser though, especially after corn on the cob.
Stress and gums—yeah, that connection surprised me too. For years, I figured my gum issues were just about age or maybe brushing a little too hard. But after a rough patch at work (think: nonstop deadlines, barely sleeping), my gums started bleeding like clockwork. My hygienist mentioned stress hormones can actually mess with how your immune system handles inflammation in your mouth... I had no idea it was that intertwined.
Funny thing is, once I started taking daily walks and meditating (not really my vibe, but desperate times), things improved. Not overnight, but enough to notice. I’m with you on the water flosser—mine’s basically glued to the bathroom counter now. I still floss with the regular stuff too, but the water flosser gets all those sneaky bits, especially after popcorn or anything with seeds.
One thing I noticed: when I slack off with flossing for even a few days, my gums get sore and puffy. It’s almost like they’re holding a grudge. I’ve also tried switching up my toothpaste to something for sensitive gums, but honestly, I think the main thing is just being consistent, even when life gets chaotic.
Not sure if anyone else has this, but my dentist said some meds can make gum problems worse too. I started blood pressure meds last year and my gums got crankier for a while before settling down. Could be coincidence, but it made me pay more attention to what’s going on in there.
Anyway, it’s weird how much our mouths react to what’s happening in the rest of our lives. Makes me wish I hadn’t rolled my eyes at all those “whole body health” talks before...
That’s wild about the stress thing—I honestly never connected the dots until my hygienist mentioned it either. I’ve noticed my gums flare up when work gets nuts or I’m not sleeping well, but always chalked it up to slacking on flossing. Also, you’re right about meds; when I switched antidepressants, my gums got way more sensitive for a bit. It’s like they’re little drama queens sometimes. Water flossers are a game-changer though—never thought I’d be so attached to a gadget for my mouth.
