Diabetes type 2 warning: Does your breath smell like this? How to check risk in your mouth

Diabetes is a common condition that affects around 3.7 million people in the UK.

Around 90 per cent of all diabetes cases are caused by type 2 diabetes, when the pancreas is not producing enough insulin, or the body is not reacting to insulin.

Common diabetes symptoms include having cuts or wounds that take longer to heal than normal, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue.

But, you could also be at risk of the high blood sugar condition if you have bad breath.

Bad breath, or halitosis, could be linked to diabetes, warned medical website Diabetes.co.uk.

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It’s caused by added glucose in patients’ saliva, which provides food for bacteria in the mouth.

This, in itself, can cause bad breath, but it can also lead to a build-up of dental plaque, it warned.

“Halitosis, better known as ‘bad breath’, is sometimes associated with diabetes,” said Diabetes.co.uk.

“The causes of bad breath are wide reaching but the condition is often linked to poor dental plaque removal.

“Plaque bacteria, which live in-between the teeth and on the surface of the tongue, digest glucose or food particles then release foul-smelling gasses.

“In people with diabetes, high blood sugar levels increase glucose levels in saliva. This provides food for bacteria in the mouth and leads to the build-up of dental plaque.

“If plaque is not removed effectively tooth decay and gum disease may occur which also causes halitosis.”

Diabetes patients’ breath could also smell of pear drops in some cases, it added.

The smell is caused by a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis – where the body burns fat instead of glucose, when there’s too little insulin in the blood.

Ketones are then formed as a waste product, which makes the breath smell like pear drops.

Diabetics could lower the risk of bad breath by avoiding sugary foods and drinks, and by maintain good oral hygiene.

Speak to a GP if you’re worried about the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, said the NHS.

Diagnosing the condition earlier is crucial, as diabetes patients are more at risk of some deadly complications, including heart disease.

Those most at risk of diabetes include people over 40 years old, those that are overweight, and people with an immediate family member with diabetes.

But, eating a healthy, balanced diet and doing regular exercise could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.


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