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Bleeding From Gums And Tongue, Blood In Stool. Possible Causes?

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Posted on Wed, 20 Jun 2012
Question: I'm 32, male. Here is my story. I noticed that there was gum bleeding near one of my canines. After a few days i realised that the bleeding was widespread and that my gums would bleed if pressed a little even on the front. I went to the dentist, he cleaned them and gave me PERIO-AID mouth wash (0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate) and special toothpaste. He also told me that my 4 wisdom teeth were coming out. It seems to have stopped the bleeding but now i seem to have bleeding from the tongue - it appears dark on the back (a bit like Black hairy tongue WWW.WWWW.WW but when I suck and spit there is some blood.
Sometimes when my stool is really hard there is a little red blood when i wipe - not much but this has been going for months on and off - it is just say 1 every 15 stools. My feet were also feeling a bit heavy at night a couple of weeks ago but this passed. All this is increasingly making me more tense - at first I thought that the wisdom teeth are responsible for the bleeding but the bleeding tongue!? I know you are probably going to tell me to have blood tests and I'm going to do that but i need to know the possible causes.

doctor
Answered by Dr. Hema Yadav (3 hours later)
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
Bleeding from multiple sites is more likely to be from a generalised bleeding disorder which could result from:
•     Thrombocytopenia or decreased platelets (autoimmune in most cases)
•     A functional disorder of platelets
•     Coagulation disorders which could arise from
o     Vitamin K deficiency
o     Liver disorders
o     Renal disorders
In your case, as there is no prior history, an autoimmune disorder or platelet deficiency can be likely causes.
A localised cause like wisdom tooth eruption will not cause bleeding from tongue and in stools.
As you are aware, you would need baseline investigations like
•     Complete blood counts with peripheral smear
•     Coagulation profile (APTT, PT)
•     Liver function tests
Alternatively, a better option is to consult a haematologist or a physician who can evaluate you completely before recommending certain tests.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Note: Do you have more questions on diagnosis or treatment of blood disorders? Ask An Expert/ Specialist Now

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Hema Yadav

Pediatrician, Infectious Diseases

Practicing since :2005

Answered : 1528 Questions

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Bleeding From Gums And Tongue, Blood In Stool. Possible Causes?

Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
Bleeding from multiple sites is more likely to be from a generalised bleeding disorder which could result from:
•     Thrombocytopenia or decreased platelets (autoimmune in most cases)
•     A functional disorder of platelets
•     Coagulation disorders which could arise from
o     Vitamin K deficiency
o     Liver disorders
o     Renal disorders
In your case, as there is no prior history, an autoimmune disorder or platelet deficiency can be likely causes.
A localised cause like wisdom tooth eruption will not cause bleeding from tongue and in stools.
As you are aware, you would need baseline investigations like
•     Complete blood counts with peripheral smear
•     Coagulation profile (APTT, PT)
•     Liver function tests
Alternatively, a better option is to consult a haematologist or a physician who can evaluate you completely before recommending certain tests.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,