Persistent Gingival Bleeding Related to Periodontal Disease

Objective More patients visit oral surgery outpatient clinics from evening to night to treat persistent gingival bleeding (PGB) related to periodontal disease (PD) (PD-PGB). Since there are few reports on PD-PGB, the present study performed a detailed characterisation of this disease. Materials and methods Patients who visited our oral surgery clinic between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2022 to treat PD-PGB without trauma. Demographic data, systemic diseases and bleeding tooth characteristics were retrieved. The occurrence of systemic diseases was compared with that of the control group (patients consisting of temporomandibular joint dislocation and minor trauma). Results Among 295 patients with gingival bleeding (GB) unrelated to trauma, 193 patients (65.4%) showed postoperative bleeding, and 91 patients (30.1%) showed PD-PGB; 93.4% of patients over 60 years old showed PD-PGB. Patients in the PGB-RPD group showed a significantly higher percentage (57.1%) of taking anticoagulants and/or antiplatelets than the control group (24.2%) (P < 0.001) Significantly higher percentage of patients in the PGB-RPD group showed a significantly higher incidence of hypertension (68.1%) than the control group (34.1%) (P < 0.001). Bleeding is the most frequently observed in molars, with a depth of the pockets exceeding 4 mm. Conclusion PD-PGB accompanied by deep pockets was more common in older patients and aggravated by taking anticoagulants and/or antiplatelets and antihypertensives. PD-PGB is not rare, and periodontal maintenance, such as regular dental checks, is an important preventive measure.