I recently heard from a woman who told me that her gums bled frequently. She said that she has blood in her mouth when she wakes up in the morning. She also said she couldn't afford to go to the dentist.

I told her that she must go. Chances are she has gum disease, but she needs a dentist or doctor to diagnose the situation and rule out anything more serious.

This brings up an important point. Bleeding gums are not normal at all. Usually, if your gums bleed while brushing or flossing it is probably indicative of gum disease.

Here is a quote from the Food and Drug Administration's website: "More than 75 percent of Americans over 35 have some form of gum disease. In its earliest stage, your gums might swell and bleed easily. At its worst, you might lose your teeth. The bottom line? If you want to keep your teeth, you must take care of your gums."

Isn't that scary? But it underscores a point. Gum disease or gingivitis are serious conditions. Not only can you lose your teeth, but with gum disease you also have what amounts to open wounds in your mouth.

Those crazy little bacteria might find their way into the bloodstream via those openings. Whether that situation can lead to something worse or not is still being studied.

This is what the FDA has to say about that, "...the CDC cautions that there is not enough evidence to conclude that oral infections actually cause or contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other serious health problems. More research is underway to determine whether the associations are causal or coincidental."

In any case, the possibility of losing one's teeth is real. And that is a situation that should be avoided.

In my personal experience, I was a patient of the same dentist for years. I knew my gums bled during those every-six-month cleanings but I didn't know that meant I had gum disease. They didn't tell me that. I thought it was normal, as do a lot of people. Then one day they suggested that I get a root scaling and planing. They also told me that I had lost bone mass and that if things progressed I could lose my teeth.

Fortunately, I had enough sense to do a little research. I found a solution that really worked and wrote about it on the Gingivitis Killer website. I know it worked because the next time I visited, they told me how much healthier my gums were looking and that I no longer needed the root scaling and planing.

In that procedure they dig under the gum line and scrape away the tartar or plaque that has built up. They feel that this is responsible for making the gum tissue pull away from the tooth, ultimately leading to the loss of gum tissue and the supporting bone structure.

I didn't want the expense, pain or hassle of going through such a procedure and I also know someone who had that procedure done and she has expressed to me more than once that it wasn't worthwhile.

I like my teeth and felt that this was an important enough situation that I needed to understand exactly what was going on. My personal philosophy is that I like to know as much as possible about any health condition or procedure before allowing anything to be done. Knowledge is power so they say. I share what I learned on the Gingivitis Killer website.

If you have gingivitis, gum disease or think you might, go to your dentist right away for diagnosis and treatment. Keeping your teeth is important. Getting rid of gum disease is desirable.

David Snape is the author of What You Should Know about Gum Disease - an important book considering that the majority of adults suffer from some form of gum disease. David also answers questions on any health, fitness or wellness topic at his blog: http://tobeinformed.com - David believes in oral irrigation to help fight against gum disease and that the premiere oral irrigation device on the market is the Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.