The eyes are often described as the windows to our health. But what about our mouths?
Dr Vivian Roknian, a dentist from Beverly Hills, California, has revealed that your dentist knows a lot just by looking inside your mouth.
One of the health problems that might become obvious in this area of the body is diabetes. Fortunately, Dr Roknian outlined the three “tell-tale obvious” signs of the blood sugar condition she notices in her patients.
1. Cracked tongue
The first warning sign can appear on your tongue in the form of cracks, the dentist explained.
Speaking on TikTok, she said: “The patient is like, ‘I’m thirsty all the time’, and you look at their tongue and it has all these cracks all over the place.”
2. Being thirsty despite drinking a lot
Perhaps one of the best-known symptoms of diabetes, polydipsia is another red flag sign that describes being very thirsty despite drinking plenty of liquids “all the time”, Dr Roknian explained.
While everyone is bound to get thirsty from time to time, Diabetes.co.uk notes that if you feel parched all the time or your thirst is stronger than usual and continues even after you drink, it could be a sign of the blood sugar condition.
Furthermore, this symptom is often accompanied by either temporary or prolonged dryness of the mouth.
3. Red gums
The last sign that can be spotted in your mouth is red gums. The dentist explained that they can even start to bleed when you touch them.
Dr Roknian concluded that these are the “main three” signs of diabetes in your mouth that signal it’s time to get your blood sugar levels tested.
She recommended getting an A1C test, also known as the haemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test, which measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months.
According to the NHS, other key symptoms of diabetes to spot include:
- Peeing more frequently than usual (particularly at night)
- Feeling very tired
- Weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- Itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- Blurred vision.
The health service notes that type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days, while many people can suffer from type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.
