There are various reasons why blood could be coming from your mouth, some of which are not alarming and others of which may be a cause for concern.
In your quest to keep your mouth clean, be sure you don’t overdo brushing your teeth and flossing. Sometimes, brushing too roughly can cause gums to bleed during and after tooth brushing. Dental floss pulled too vigorously between teeth also can cause sore and bleeding gums. Be gentler. Remember not to force the floss between your teeth. Instead, slide the floss carefully up and down around the curve of each tooth.
When eating or speaking, it’s sometimes easy to bite your tongue or the side of your mouth, also causing blood to pool in your mouth. Like over brushing or over flossing, a bitten tongue or cheek is no cause for alarm. Swallowing blood after a nosebleed is another simple explanation for why blood could be coming from your mouth.
If you recently were punched or hit during a sports activity, check to determine if you have knocked out a tooth. If so, see your dentist right away.
Coughing up blood, visible as fresh red blood and foam, can be the result of a broken blood vessel in the respiratory tract, including the lungs, and may be a serious sign of a lung disease.
Vomiting blood results from the forcing of stomach contents containing blood up through the oesophagus and out the mouth. Vomiting blood, which is usually a dark red and often accompanied by bits of consumed food, can be the result of broken or defective blood vessels in the digestive tract, and may be a serious sign of stomach cancer or other serious conditions.
Other causes for vomiting blood may include a bleeding ulcer, inflammation of the lining to the oesophagus (esophagus) or stomach, or oesophagus or stomach tumours.
Whether you are coughing up or vomiting blood, seek immediate medical attention, either by calling your doctor or going to the closest hospital emergency room.
In your quest to keep your mouth clean, be sure you don’t overdo brushing your teeth and flossing. Sometimes, brushing too roughly can cause gums to bleed during and after tooth brushing. Dental floss pulled too vigorously between teeth also can cause sore and bleeding gums. Be gentler. Remember not to force the floss between your teeth. Instead, slide the floss carefully up and down around the curve of each tooth.
When eating or speaking, it’s sometimes easy to bite your tongue or the side of your mouth, also causing blood to pool in your mouth. Like over brushing or over flossing, a bitten tongue or cheek is no cause for alarm. Swallowing blood after a nosebleed is another simple explanation for why blood could be coming from your mouth.
If you recently were punched or hit during a sports activity, check to determine if you have knocked out a tooth. If so, see your dentist right away.
Coughing up blood, visible as fresh red blood and foam, can be the result of a broken blood vessel in the respiratory tract, including the lungs, and may be a serious sign of a lung disease.
Vomiting blood results from the forcing of stomach contents containing blood up through the oesophagus and out the mouth. Vomiting blood, which is usually a dark red and often accompanied by bits of consumed food, can be the result of broken or defective blood vessels in the digestive tract, and may be a serious sign of stomach cancer or other serious conditions.
Other causes for vomiting blood may include a bleeding ulcer, inflammation of the lining to the oesophagus (esophagus) or stomach, or oesophagus or stomach tumours.
Whether you are coughing up or vomiting blood, seek immediate medical attention, either by calling your doctor or going to the closest hospital emergency room.
