Constant bleeding after Deep Cleaning - Dental Health Message Board

Southpaw19 · 02-28-2007, 11:36 AM

This is my first post here, but I need some direction.

Yesterday I was at my 2nd deep cleaning appointment (left side); 5 days after my first appointment (right side). After she was done, she told me to go rinse because I had started to bleed on the bottom. Well, rinsing after novocaine is hard enough, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. My dentist said it would stop soon, and that I could go.

Now after getting home, I noticed it was still bleeding. Unfortunately I remembered taking some ES Excedrin an hour before the appt. It contained 500 mg of asprin, and I know that's a blood thinner. So I realized that was probably why my gums wouldn't clot. I had 4 areas that were bleeding last night.

When I woke up this morning, my mouth was full of clotted blood (ie. thick) on the left-lower side. Three of the four areas have clotted (I didn't remove them for fear of bleeding again), but this one area on my lower-left side will not clot. Well let me correct myself, it bleeds outside of the gum, and clots outside of one tooth. What is really strange is the blood "caps" the one tooth. Like a blood "cover" on this tooth. I've removed this cap 3-4 times this morning, but it still bleeds.

I tried putting pressure on it with a moist paper towel, but can't hold it on longer than 10 minutes, because I'm at work.

1) Is this normal? (Esp. after a blood-thinner)
2) Should I go back to the dentist?
3) Is there anything I can try to stop the bleeding?
4) When I get home tonight, should I brush (probably taking off the clots) and rinse regardless?

Thank you for any and all suggestions/info/help.

lzing2 · 02-28-2007, 11:51 AM

Having gone through the same...the pain med is the cause and yes brush tonight and continue with your routine...your gums just need time to heal and they will. Just brush gently. Did the dentist give you a sonicare/or electric tooth brush? It really is the best solution along with a sulca brush to keep you from having to endure the proceedure again. And what taking pain med's prior to certain dental visits...also a little blood from having the planning done is normal afterwards...but should stop soon after.

Southpaw19 · 02-28-2007, 12:04 PM

Thank you for the reassurance. I'm definitely going to wait until I get home to brush. Don't want to "open the flood gates" while in public view here at work.

Evie4 · 02-28-2007, 02:26 PM

That happenend to my husband after a cleaning. Dentist said the hygentist hit a capillary. He recommended using a tea bag (black tea). Steep it first to get it wet and remove the tea then place it in your mouth. It still took a couple days to stop bleeding as my husband couldn't stand leaving the clot there. It didn't bleed continously though once he started using the tea bag--it did seem to stem the bleeding. And right, no products with aspirin.

Southpaw19 · 02-28-2007, 06:50 PM

Okay, I'm getting nervous here... the bleeding has been constant for about 27 hours now. I think it's worse tonight than last night. I called my dentist twice, and she hasn't called me back yet (voicemail on cell phone; office was closed today). I think I'm going to be at her office first thing in the morning. I think this is going beyond the aspirin. I haven't had anything to eat in this time, and I nearly vomited from pulling out "blood chunks" from my mouth... but then again, I don't have anything in me to vomit.