Bleeding Gums and Chinese Medicine

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Bleeding Gums and Chinese Medicine
Herbal prescriptions | Mouth washes | Home care advice
Gums are responsible for holding and protecting the teeth,
bleeding gums can be a sign of gum disease, medically
called gingivitis. The condition is often due to plaque
formation on the teeth that produces acids and toxins to
erode and cause inflammation of the gums. Besides plaque
formation, other factors that can contribute to bleeding
gums include:
Poor oral hygiene habits such as
improper blushing, tooth picking or
unfitted dentures;
Hormonal changes such as during
pregnancy, menstruation, puberty or
menopause;

Bleeding gums

Diseases that affect the immune or

blood clotting system, such as
leukemia, diabetes, mouth sores,
liver or kidney dysfunctions;
Medications such as blood thinner,
anticonvulsant, or chemotherapy
drugs;
Nutritional deficiency such as vitamin
C or K deficiency;
Bad habits such as smoking.
Bleeding gums usually occur along with other oral
symptoms such as:
Gums that bleed during and after brushing teeth
Red, swollen or sore gums
Bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
Sensitive teeth
Receding gums
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Formation of deep pockets between the teeth and gums

Loose or shifting teeth
Regardless of the cause, good oral hygiene is fundamental
for healthy gums. It is necessary to choose a soft bristle
toothbrush, brush the teeth gently, and visit the dentist
every 6 to 12 months for plaque removal. In case if the
bleeding is severe, or accompanied with other unexplained
symptoms, you should consult a doctor.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can work with modern
dentistry to promote gum health.
In TCM theory, the mouth is connected to the rest of the
body. Teeth are considered to be remnants of bone and are
nourished by kidney essence. The stomach and large
intestine meridians pass through the upper and lower tooth
beds respectively and supple the blood and qi (vital energy)
to the regions. Tooth and gum conditions can reflect the
functional states of the kidneys, the stomach or the large
intestine. Physicians focus on the internal disharmonies that
involve these three organs rather than applying local
treatment for tooth and gum problems. In case of bleeding
gums, the pathology is either due to excessive fire and heat
or inadequate qi; the former forces blood flowing out of the
normal pathways and the later makes the gums unable to
retain the blood within the vessels. Physicians will look for
the gum conditions, accompanying signs, pulse and tongue
signs when deciding appropriate remedies. Common
disharmony patterns that involve bleeding gums are as
below.

golden thread
rhizome

psoralea

peony root bark

1. Herbal prescriptions for bleeding gums

Heat in stomach and intestines

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The bleeding is heavy and bright red in color, other

symptoms may include swollen and sore gums, thirst that
prefers cold drinks, bad breath, constipation, and yellow
urine. A red tongue covered by yellow and thick coating, the
pulse is surge and rapid. The remedy should aim to clear
stomach and purging fire.
Sample prescription: Clear Stomach Powder plus
honeysuckle flower and dandelion
Virtual fire in stomach
A mild gum bleeding, accompanied with swollen, pocket
formation or recession of the gums, and mild toothache.
There may also be thirst, mouth dryness, a red tongue
without coating, and the pulse is thready and rapid. The
remedy should aim to clear and purge stomach fire, and
nourish stomach.
Sample prescription: Sweet Dew Drink plus cattail pollen
Virtual fire in kidneys
A mild bleeding that can be seen as a red line of blood in
the gum line, accompanied with loose and shaky teeth,
receding gums, sensitive teeth, dizziness, ear ringing,
lumbar soreness and knee weakness. The tongue is red
and tender and with little coating, and the pulse is thready
and rapid. The remedy should aim to nourish kidneys and
subdue minister-fire.
Sample prescription: Rehmannia Pill Plus Anemarrhena and
Corktree Bark, plus achyranthes root and psoralea
Spleen deficiency
The gums bleed easily when brushing or sucking,
accompanied with paleness of the gums, pale complexion,
breath shortness, feeble voice, no appetite and loose
bowels. The tongue is pale and bulky, and the pulse is weak
and thready. The remedy should aim to invigorate spleen,
replenish qi and restore its ability to astringent blood.
Sample prescription: Restore the Spleen Decoction plus
hairyvein agrimonia herb and oriental arborvitae leafy-twig
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2. Mouth washes for bleeding gums
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TCM has a long history of using mouth washes for oral and
throat diseases, some early applications can be found in
famous TCM classics. Prescriptions Worth a Thousand
Gold for Emergencies (wrote by Sun Simiao in 581-682AD)
states: mouth washes that made by bamboo shavings and
vinegar, or Manchurian wildginger and liquorice root can
reduce gum bleeding; salty pine needle solution can relieve
swollen and painful gums; while solution that made by
rehmannia root, pubescent angelica root and wine can treat
loose teeth and sore gums. Compendium of Materia Medica
(wrote by Li Shizhen in 1578AD) states: solution that made
by Dahurian angelica root and medicinal evodia fruits can
relieve acute toothache; and Dahurian angelica root and
Sichuan lovage rhizome solution can reduce bad breath.
Since mouth rinsing remedies work on the localized lesions,
individuals can sometimes attain a faster and more direct
result than drinking decoctions. They can also avoid
unnecessary drug stimulations to the gastrointestinal tract.
In TCM, mouth washes are usually prescribed for conditions
like pharyngitis, tonsillitis, periodontitis, toothache and
mouth sores.
During practice, physicians will prescribe specifically
according to individual conditions. The solution is usually
gargled in the mouth for 1 to 2 minutes each time. There is
no need to rinse with water afterwards, and remember not
to eat immediately. Do this 3 to 5 times a day. Some herbal
preparations that are suitable for making mouth washes for
bleeding gums are:
Humifuse euphorbia herb (di jin
cao, 12g), wolfberry root-bark
(15g) and rehmannia root (15g);
Common scouring rush herb (mu
zei, 30g); and yerbadetajo herb
(60g);
Psoralea (30g);
Gypsum (30g), Amur corktree
bark (15g), gallnet of Chinese
sumac (15g) and black catechu
(6g);

Honeysuckle flower and

liquorice root

Honeysuckle flower (15g) and

liquorice root (15g);
Manchurian wildginger (3g),
Sichuan pepper (10g) and
bugbane rhizome (10g).
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The herbs are boiled with 500ml water for 20 minutes, and
then use the solution to rinse the mouth daily.
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3. Home care advice for bleeding gums
Prevention is better than cure. Your life habits and diet have
an enormous effect on the overall condition of your gums. It
is advised to maintain a balanced lifestyle with ample sleep,
adequate nutrition and regular exercise. Healthy oral
hygiene habits include:
Drink water after eating to wash away the food residue
and make it less likely to buildup plaque on the teeth.
Quit smoking and eliminate snacks between meals, since
these are common risk factors for the development of
gum disease.
Reduce stress, a stressful body results in fluctuated
hormonal levels and thus increase sensitivity of the gums.
Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits.
A simple and bland diet. Over consumption of alcohol and
foods that are heavily spicy, greasy and hard not only
damage the gums directly, they also bring about heat
pathogens which accumulate in the stomach and
intestines. The heat pathogens will then irritate the gums
through the meridians.
There is an ancient way for promoting teeth and gums
health, in the morning and night before brushing teeth, use
your brush or fingers to rub the gums for 2-3 minutes,
followed by knocking against the upper jaw and lower jaw
for 30-50 times. These will help the blood circulation in the
tooth bed and to firm the teeth.
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