Scottish Daily Mail

GUMMY GRIPES

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this week: What the state of your gums can reveal about your health INFLAMED or bleeding gums are often a sign of gum disease, but they can also be symptoms of undiagnose­d type 2 diabetes.

‘When diabetes is yet to be diagnosed, blood sugar isn’t controlled and this can lead to inflammati­on in the gums, causing them to bleed,’ explains Philip Greene, a periodonti­cs specialist at the Malt House practice in Manchester.

‘But if you control your diabetes, your gums will recover, and if you control the bleeding and inflammati­on in your gums through good oral health, it will help control blood sugar.’

Anti-clotting medication such as warfarin can also cause bleeding gums, as the drugs make the blood thinner. This means users bleed more easily — for example if brushing too hard with a toothbrush.

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