I think I'm beyond the worries about bleeding. The swollen gums are SO FRICKIN' tender though. I'm not sure if an infection has set in. I've been checking for signs of abscesses and am unsure. There are nodular bumps that hurt a lot. It may just be swollen tissue. Yesterday I tried piercing one of them with a needle hoping it would release pressure but it was so painful that I gave up. I ended up popping another pain pill instead.