Why are my gums so sensitive?
Why are my gums so sensitive?
I have good oral hygiene according to the dentists I've been to. One is the dentist I've seen since I was a kid, the other a dentist I switched to because we moved, and the third one was a dentist I went to to get a second opinion for my gums.
I'm 18 now, and yet every time I get told that they're just sensitive because of puberty. I hit puberty at 12.
My gums keep bleeding. This has been going on for as long as I can remember. It's not as bad as it used to be due to some changes I made in my routine, but any time I brush my teeth or I'm getting poked at the dentist, there's small spots that begin bleeding. I also keep having random 'cuts' appear on my gums (primarily on the top, behind my teeth) which I assume are from straws resting against my gums?
My gums are a healthy pink and aren't swollen. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone here have any input on what I'm doing wrong to be causing this?
Extra info
Medical conditions: I have mild-moderate congenital enamel hypoplasia. I have composite bonding on two teeth because they were very deformed, and a ton of fillings in pits and holes.
I have been checked for Von Willebrand Disease, Hemophilia A + B, and something else blood related that I can't remember the name of. All the tests were negative.
History: I had severe gingivitis from the age of 2-3 because my father was my primary caretaker at the time and did not teach me to take care of my teeth or show me how to (I did not even have toothpaste or a toothbrush). Most of my teeth were rotten down to my jaw and they were promptly pulled once my mom made enough money to bring us over to the country she was working in.
Routine: I go through my oral hygiene routine 2-3x a day (Clean tongue w/ a tongue scraper - Floss - Mouthwash - Brush Teeth). The 3rd time is optional and I only do it if I ate a lot of sweets, cake, whatever and my teeth feel 'grimey'.
I use an Oral B IO toothbrush on the 'Sensitive+' setting, and I use an alcohol free mouthwash (my gums felt like they were burning when I used mouthwash with alcohol). The electric toothbrush is mandatory, as I have dyspraxia and otherwise skip over spots on accident or press to hard in others which has lead to mild gum recession on some teeth.