I have alot of bleeding under a crown when I brush at the gumline.?

Question

I have NO bleeding anywhere else and I think my gums are terrific
EXCEPT under my one and only crown ( lower left). I had bleedng between it and the teeth on either side I stopped with flossing and
swishing with listerine and peroxydil-but the gums still bleed easily unde the crown at the gum with gentle soft brush-brushing. I have a theory that if I floss AND BRUSH gently and then swish with listeriine and peroxidyl at bedtime -this will heal on its own BEFORE I see my dentist for a routine checkup in two weeks and he sends me to a perio$$.
Am I right here?

Answer 1

There are several things that could be causing the bleeding around your crown. If you've had the crown for awhile (which I'm guessing you have) you could have some decay going on up under the crown and working it's way down the root of the tooth, which has the tissue inflamed and irritated causing the bleeding. It's common in teeth with crowns, especially when patients aren't ardent flossier.

Or it could be that you've eaten something and gotten a piece of it lodged under the tissue, like popcorn or nuts that have skins. If this is possible, take a piece of floss and tie a single knot in it, slip it in as you normally would and then slide the knot through under the tissue in the area that's bleeding. Sounds painful but it's not and it usually removes anything under the tissue that may be stuck. It's what we do before we pull out the explorer or scaler. You can try rinsing vigorously with warm water to dislodge it. And be sure to use warm salt water rinses to ease the soreness afterward.

Hopefully it's not perio, but it could be a perio pocket. If it's possible then you will have to go to the dentist to have the pocket cleaned out and flushed. It would be usless for you to try due to the depth of these. It's impossible for a patient to get that deep under the tissue. Although sometimes if the pocket isn't too deep we can treat it with a slow releasing antibiotic chip that is placed under the tissue in the pocket area. This treatment has been known to work very well in most cases. So don't feel that all is lost just yet, there is always and alternative other than the worse case scenario of tooth loss.

In some cases the patient's are allergic to the metal in the crowns or the margins aren't quiet right allowing an area for bacteria to get trapped and keep the tissue inflammed. Or a rough area on the crown that's against the tissue keeping it irritated. There are many things that could be wrong.

I would definitely continue with the soft toothbrush and flossing, and do it deeply, but not so deep as to cut your gums and do it often. The more plaque you can keep off the tooth the better your gums will be. Don't baby the tooth or tissue too much; you may be making the situation worse by not keeping it as clean as you should for fear of making it bleed. Also use a warm (as warm as you can stand it) salt water rinse, really swishing it hard in that area 4-5 times a day. It will help with the inflammation and soreness you may be having. I would stop with the Listerine and stick with the peroxidyl a couple of times a day, just be sure not to drink for at least 30 minutes after using it so it will work. Anytime you eat or drink something be sure to brush or rinse with water really well to remove any sugar or debris from the area.

I'm hoping that it's the peanuts or popcorn that would be the easiest solution for your problem. No one likes the thought of decay under a crown or perio pockets, but they are both possibilities if it's not the other. Hope I've been of some help with finding a solution to your problem. Good luck.

Answer 2

hmm your crown might not be on right. I have 4 crowns and never had this problem. Don't floss that area untill you see the dentist.