GUMMY GRIPES
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.