# Bleeding gums and crohn's disease



## CrohnsChicago (Dec 7, 2013)

I have been having a bleeding problem with my gums for a few months now and am curious if it is gum disease, a symptom of 6-mp (mercaptopurine) treatment for crohn's or both.

For about 4 or 5 months I have experienced bleeding gums while brushing my teeth with a soft toothbrush and when flossing. Over the past two months it has become more frequent when brushing and NOW the past two weeks I have experienced spontaneous bleeding from my gums just going about my day. I have also had two small mouth sores in the past few weeks...something I haven't dealt with in a long while. And just yesterday the gums in the back of my mouth felt so sensitive that I felt the root of a tooth was rubbing against and trying to poke out. Today there is no sensitivity and that root feeling is completely non-existent.

Coincidentally it was around 5 months ago that I got off of steroids and about 3 months ago when my 6-mp dosage was increased. These dates correspond with the increase in mouth problems.

**My body has used puffy, bleeding gums as a sign of a flare twice in the past. But I don't have any reason to believe it is currently due to a flare because I have been nearly symptom free (some minor IBS/crohns-like symptoms that seem to be brought on by poor diet once in a blue moon but fade away after a few days or when my monthly visit is over) for a few months now. During a flare the gums tend to get inflamed as well as bleed. There is no inflammation going on now and the bleeding is more at the gum/tooth line.

I have a GI appointment in two weeks but I am trying to soldier through this and avoid seeing a dentist until after the new year because my dental insurance company is about to change effective January 1st. 

Has anyone had any issues with bleeding gums and mercaptopurine or some other crohn's medication? I want to be able to go to a dentist next month with an idea of whether or not my suspicion of crohn's medication is worth mentioning.

Do you find that crohn's causes you more problems with your gums in general?


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## SarahBear (Dec 7, 2013)

I have bleeding gums regularly.  Spontaneous bleeding is rare for me, but my gums bleed fairly heavily every time I brush and floss.  Sometimes it's worse than others, and when I spit while brushing, it's just entirely bright red.  I've had the blood literally pool in my mouth.

I'm also pretty familiar with the back of the mouth gum sensitivity you described.  It feels like my wisdom teeth are coming in all over again.  I have no idea what causes that. 

I can't say with any certainty that the severity of the bleeding relates to how I'm feeling at the time (can't remember on that one).


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## Nims22 (Dec 27, 2013)

When I use steroids my gums bleed. Last month the bleeding turned into an infection and it was a pretty nasty experience. If the bleeding turns into any kind of pain, go to the dentist right away. If I had started the antibiotic mouthwash a few days earlier I could have saved myself getting a tooth removed (luckily just a wisdom tooth that had ironically grown in fine) and weeks of pain.

I think in general, even without steroids, my mouth is just super sensitive. I always get sores on my tongue and inside my mouth. When I floss, I bleed like crazy. I just happened to notice that every time I was on steroids my gums would bleed while brushing badly and even throughout the day I would taste blood.


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## Ckoenig (Jan 29, 2014)

How are you doing now? I am having a lot of bleeding in my gums. Sometimes I will even taste blood going about my day it is gross. I am really particular about my teeth. Also they hurt (feel inflamed like I have cavities all over).  It really sucks as my mouth is really sensitive. I lowered my dose of steroids from 9 mg entocort to 6mg entocort and all the trouble started there. But I've been on them since August and I don't want to continue to be on them forever. I am definitely flaring when I have been symptom free since beginning Humira. I take my shot today. 





CrohnsChicago said:


> I have been having a bleeding problem with my gums for a few months now and am curious if it is gum disease, a symptom of 6-mp (mercaptopurine) treatment for crohn's or both.
> 
> For about 4 or 5 months I have experienced bleeding gums while brushing my teeth with a soft toothbrush and when flossing. Over the past two months it has become more frequent when brushing and NOW the past two weeks I have experienced spontaneous bleeding from my gums just going about my day. I have also had two small mouth sores in the past few weeks...something I haven't dealt with in a long while. And just yesterday the gums in the back of my mouth felt so sensitive that I felt the root of a tooth was rubbing against and trying to poke out. Today there is no sensitivity and that root feeling is completely non-existent.
> 
> ...


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## Ckoenig (Jan 29, 2014)

This is me exactly! IT is not fun. I hope I don't get that infection. I am flaring pretty badly right now and taste blood often. I better find a dentist in my area. I have been going to New York for years because I went to a dentist of my ex-husbands family friend and they always treated me very well and barely charged me, but it is 2 hours away and I just don't want to drive that far anymore. 



Nims22 said:


> When I use steroids my gums bleed. Last month the bleeding turned into an infection and it was a pretty nasty experience. If the bleeding turns into any kind of pain, go to the dentist right away. If I had started the antibiotic mouthwash a few days earlier I could have saved myself getting a tooth removed (luckily just a wisdom tooth that had ironically grown in fine) and weeks of pain.
> 
> I think in general, even without steroids, my mouth is just super sensitive. I always get sores on my tongue and inside my mouth. When I floss, I bleed like crazy. I just happened to notice that every time I was on steroids my gums would bleed while brushing badly and even throughout the day I would taste blood.


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## 4peace (Jan 30, 2014)

My gums bleed HEAVILY. Today I ate a french fire and the crispy corner barely scraped the roof of my mouth and it was dripping blood. When I floss, gently, the same thing happens and it will bleed for about a minute maybe longer.  My gums are SUPER inflamed as well. I have good dental hygiene, have cleanings every3-4 months rather than 6 months. Dentist has no answer but periodontist said that his patients with Cohn's find some relief with "Healthy Gums" mouthwash. You can find it on Amazon. I haven't purchased it yet but plan on doing so this week. Hope you guys get relief!


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## CrohnsChicago (Jan 30, 2014)

Thanks so much for checking in Ckoenig! :hug:

I am doing well. Still experiencing the bleeding though.

I spoke to my GI about it during that appointment I mentioned. We went over the bleeding gums as well as the fact that my hair has become significantly thinner since I started treatment for Crohn's almost 2 years ago.

We did another 6-mp blood test which came back complicated (a whole other story) but since things seem to be under control, he suggested that I lower my 6-mp dosage and see if it helps my hair and gums. He is also slow tapering me off of Asacol after two years on the medication. The hair thinning seems to be slowly improving (time will tell on this one), but unfortunately I still experience the bleeding gums, though not as often. 

I haven't had time to make an appointment with a dentist yet because I have been moving into a new apartment since after the crazy holidays ended, but I plan to start looking and have an appointment booked very soon to have a dentist look around and see what they say. Maybe the dentist will simply say it is gingivitis and give me a more intense dental treatment plan and it will go away some more. We will see....

Having a sensitive mouth is definitely no fun  In your case it seems like the steroids, at the higher dosages, are helping keep your gums from bleeding a.k.a. controlling your flaring symptoms where I suspect my bleeding gums are a side effect of the medication.

Have you been to a dentist yet for your gums? Good luck on Humira. I really hope it works for you and that you don't have to deal with the symptoms of crohn's for a long while....we all know how incredibly annoying this condition is. 



Ckoenig said:


> How are you doing now? I am having a lot of bleeding in my gums. Sometimes I will even taste blood going about my day it is gross. I am really particular about my teeth. Also they hurt (feel inflamed like I have cavities all over).  It really sucks as my mouth is really sensitive. I lowered my dose of steroids from 9 mg entocort to 6mg entocort and all the trouble started there. But I've been on them since August and I don't want to continue to be on them forever. I am definitely flaring when I have been symptom free since beginning Humira. I take my shot today.


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## D Bergy (May 27, 2016)

Bleeding gums were my only real symptom of Crohns for most of my life until I developed a stricture in my late 40's.  

In my case, it appears to be caused mostly by MAP and mycoplasma.  They improved to normal when I treated directly for those two pathogens.  There are also various strains of streptococcus that can irritate the gums.  I would speculate that using an immune suppressant would increase several strains of bacteria which might cause the increase in bleeding. 

Oil pulling as it is called with coconut oil might help some as it is antibacterial.  Might be worth a try. 

Dan


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## Cronauerangelakis (Jul 11, 2016)

For a long long time my mouth was like that. My Orthodontist was the one who noticed as i always thought it was just normal for me, and she said it looked like severe gigivitis or something? but then i saw a doc who specialized in crohnic mouth things and she said its really typical for crohns.Then i consult Pembroke Pines Orthodontist and they are really best and relieve me out of pain.


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