Cut gums while flossing
A small gum cut from flossing usually settles with gentle pressure and careful cleaning, but a deep, persistent, or infected wound needs dental assessment.
What is the direct answer?
A small gum cut from flossing usually settles with gentle pressure and careful cleaning, but a deep, persistent, or infected wound needs dental assessment.
What does this question mean?
Floss can nick the papilla, the triangular gum between teeth, when snapped down or forced through a tight contact. Inflamed gum is easier to injure.
What can you do next?
Apply clean gauze with steady pressure, rinse gently with water, and resume with a slow C-shaped motion around each tooth.
When should you seek dental care?
Seek care for bleeding that will not stop, a gaping wound, increasing swelling, pus, fever, or pain.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask whether the injury is mechanical, whether inflammation or calculus is present, and which interdental tool fits the space.
Frequently asked questions
Can this have more than one cause?
Yes. Examination separates local irritation, inflammation, decay, infection, and bite or appliance factors.
Will home care cure the underlying problem?
Home care can reduce irritation, but persistent symptoms need treatment directed at their dental cause.