Britons spend up to £4billion a year on supplements. But some of the most popular pills could be putting users at risk of excessive bleeding and kidney damage.
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Fflamau Penyberth, composed by Gareth Glyn and commissioned by OPRA Cymru, tells the story of the 1936 arson attack at RAF Penrhos by three Welsh nationalists.
The opera follows Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine and Carmarthenshire-born writer DJ Williams, who set fire to the RAF base in protest against the destruction of Penyberth, a farmhouse of cultural and historical significance.
Mr Glyn, who was born in Machynlleth, said: “Fflamau Penyberth commemorates a hugely significant event in Welsh history and I felt a great responsibility to get it right and I hope my score does justice to this seminal moment.
“The score includes pieces for the three main characters and they sing together unaccompanied at one stage which I believe is a very powerful song.
“I’m pleased that the singers chosen to take part are suitable for the parts they portray.
“Similarly the singers are approximately from the same areas of Wales as the three men so they sing in the same local accent and I think that is very important.”
The protest was sparked by the British government’s decision to build an RAF training camp on the Llŷn Peninsula, which led to the demolition of Penyberth.
The trio, described as “God-fearing” Welsh nationalists, set fire to the buildings and then surrendered to the police.
They were later tried at the Old Bailey and sentenced to nine months in Wormwood Scrubs.
The opera is structured in three acts and opens with one of the men in a prison cell, with the story unfolding through a series of flashbacks.
The cast includes tenor Robyn Lyn Evans, and baritones Emyr Wyn Jones and Robin Gruffudd Hughes.
All three have performed with major opera companies.
The opera will be premiered at Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli on Thursday, November 19, and later visit Rhosllannerchrugog, Bangor, Swansea, Barry, Brecon and Aberystwyth before returning to Pwllheli for the final performance of the tour.
The libretto was written by OPRA Cymru founder, Patrick Young, from Llan Ffestiniog, in conjunction with author and historian Arwel Vittle.
Modern life is giving our bottoms a bum rap, experts warn (Image: Getty)
As a nation we may spend millions of pounds trying to shape, tone and tighten our behinds. But your glutes are not just important for deciding how you look in your jeans. They‘re some of the most important muscles in the body, acting as powerful stabilisers that help us walk, climb stairs, stay balanced and keep our spines and pelvises supported.
Dr Andrew Gorecki, a doctor of physical therapy and author of The Truth About Lower Back Pain: The Hidden Culprits, says: “The glutes are the engine that power nearly every movement you do. They power standing up, walking, climbing stairs, catching your balance when you stumble, even just holding yourself upright. All of it runs through the glutes. They are stabilisers too. They hold your pelvis level while you walk, keep your knee tracking straight when you take a step, and prevent your spine from doing work it wasn’t designed for.”
Protecting them now will also protect your future health, adds Gorecki: “Strong glutes are also what let you keep doing the things that make life worth living into your 70s, 80s,and beyond.”
what’s your bottom made up of?
The gluteus maximus is the most superficial and largest of the three muscles in the bottom (Image: Getty)
The largest muscle in your behind is your gluteus maximus. This is a chunky, fan-shaped muscle that stretches around 15 to 20cm from the base of your spine and hip bones to the top of your thigh bone. It’s the muscle we use most when we run, step, squat and climb. It’s also the main structure that gives your bottom its shape.
However, Andrew says it’s vital not to forget the other key muscles in your behind. “The gluteus medius is the middle one, on the side of the hip,” he says. “Its main job is to stabilise the pelvis and hold you steady with every step you take. This is the muscle whose weakness causes the most trouble in older adults. But it gets the least attention in typical exercise programmes.”
Then there’s the gluteus minimus. “This is the smallest and deepest of the three, tucked underneath the medius. It works alongside it to control hip stability and contributes to inward rotation of the hip. While it’s a small muscle, it has a meaningful role.”
Modern life is weakening our glutes
Our ancestors would have walked, run, squatted, and climbed throughout the day. But from commuting in cars and working at desks to relaxing on sofas and scrolling on phones, modern life means we spend far more time sitting on our gluteal muscles than using them. The result is that this powerful group of muscles becomes underused and loses strength over time. Research has also found that regularly sitting for long periods can even make our bottoms bigger.
According to a study published in the Biophysical Journal in 2014, when the fat cells in our behinds get compressed, like when we sit down for long periods, it changes the distribution of fat tissue – encouraging it to expand.
Lead author, Professor Amit Gefen from Tel Aviv University, explained: “We found fat cells exposed to sustained, chronic pressure, like what happens to the buttocks when you’re sitting down, experienced accelerated growth of lipid droplets, which are molecules that carry fats. Contrary to muscle and bone tissue, which get mechanically weaker with disuse, fat deposits in fat cells expanded when they experienced sustained loading – by as much as 50%. This was a substantial discovery.”
Why your bum droops as you age
Dr Andrew Gorecki ia s physical therapy expert and author of the The Truth About Lower Back Pain (Image: Courtesy Andrew Gorecki)
As the years pass, many of us notice our once perky bottoms becoming flatter and well… “deflated”. And there’s a range of reasons why our derrieres lose their pert shape. Our bottoms contain a network of fibres designed to help them resist gravity. These are strong, collagen-rich threads that weave vertically out from the deep muscle fascia, go straight through your fat layers, and thread tightly into the underside of the skin, keeping it firm and supported. However, as we get older, these stretch and become less elastic, contributing to a droopier appearance.
Meanwhile, as levels of collagen, elastin and other connective tissues decline, the skin also loses its firmness, becoming uneven and wrinkled. Furthermore, unless we actively work to maintain muscle strength, our glute start to shrink from our 40s onwards, also making our bums looks flatter.
Why buttocks get dimples
Bottoms change in shape and texture as you age (Image: Getty)
More than nine out of 10 women develop cellulite at some point in their lives, particularly around their hips and buttocks. But why is this dimpled appearance more common in women than men? One reason is that women’s hormone patterns encourage them to store fat in this area.
Women also have differences in the make-up of the tissues here. In females, the fine bands of connective tissue running through this area are arranged more vertically, allowing fat cells to push up towards the skin’s surface. When their fat cells expand, they start to rise above the surface, creating a bumpy “orange peel” effect.
Men tend to have more connective tissue fibres, which are also arranged in a more criss-crossed pattern. This creates a firmer structure that holds their buttock fat more securely in place, so they get less of a dimpled effect. Men also typically have 25% thicker skin in this area. This helps make the surface of their buttocks look smoother.
How to make your glutes stronger.
Target your glutes directly: Dr Gorecki says: “Two to three sessions a week is enough. Exercises like glute bridges, single-leg glute bridges, side-lying leg lifts, clamshells, sit-to-stands, and single-leg deadlifts all belong in the mix. No gym equipment needed.”
Work on each side separately too: As well as squats which use both legs, try exercises that target one leg at a time. Gorecki adds: “Two-legged exercises let your strong side compensate for your weak side. Single-leg exercises expose and correct asymmetries, and they train the exact pattern you use when you walk.”
Move throughout the day: Dr Gorecki suggests working glute movement into your day daily to keep them active. “Standing up every 45-60 minutes, walking after meals, and building in movement breaks prevents the gluteal amnesia that hours of sitting create. Ten minutes of movement every hour matters more than one intense workout at 6pm.”
Don’t let the years get in your way: It doesn’t matter how old you are. It’s never too later to make glutes stronger. Dr Gorecki says: “Adults in their 70s and 80s still respond to glute training. The gains are meaningful and often show up quickly, within six to 12 weeks of consistent work. Don’t accept muscle loss as inevitable.”
Weak buttocks put your health at risk as you age – really
Use them or loose them (Image: Getty)
Think of your glutes as a bridge between your legs and your spine. When they lose strength, your body has to find stability elsewhere, placing more strain on other muscles and joints. This can increase the risk of back pain. Over time, weak glutes can also affect your postureand balance. When they are strong, they help keep your pelvis in a neutral position, supporting your spine’s natural curves.
Your gluteus medius, in particular, helps keep your pelvis level when you walk. If it gets weak, your hips get less stable, throwing you off balance and making trips more likely. Physiotherapist Tim Allardyce, of surreyphysio.co.uk, says: “Strong glutes help to stabilise your hips and lower back, which can in theory, help improve posture and reduce the risk of back pain. They also give you better balance and stability, which becomes increasingly important as we age.”
Bottom muscles can influence how you age
Walking speed is considered by many researchers to be one of the best signs of healthy ageing. This is because strong glutes help provide the power you need to push your body forwards with every step. As your glute strength declines, you are likely to become slower and less confident on your feet.
Dr Gorecki also runs movement platform mymovementrx.com. He has this main takeaway: “Strong glutes aren’t simply about how the buttocks look. They’re about whether you can climb the stairs at 70, walk on uneven ground at 75, get up off the floor at 80, and stay independent at 85. Everyone in the fitness industry sells the appearance of strong glutes. Fewer people talk about what they actually do – which is to keep you moving through your life.”
Taxpayers could be losing out on hundreds – or even thousands of pounds without realising it
Millions of workers may be unknowingly missing out on hundreds – and in some cases thousands – of pounds in pension tax relief . The risk is greatest for higher and additional-rate taxpayers paying into schemes where providers only claim the basic-rate element.
With more people being pulled into higher bands due to frozen income tax thresholds, experts say it’s worth checking now to make sure you’re not leaving money with HMRC. The alert comes as HMRC moves to fix a separate issue that has hit lower-paid savers in “net pay” schemes, but AJ Bell says higher earners shouldn’t relax. Depending on how your workplace pension is set up, you might have to actively claim the extra relief you’re entitled to.
If you don’t, the cash doesn’t go into your retirement pot – it stays in the Treasury. Charlene Young, head of technical at AJ Bell, said “HMRC is finally reaching out to lower earners to correct the net pay anomaly and there has, understandably, been a lot of focus on ensuring the lowest paid aren’t missing out on crucial pension tax perks.
“But they are not the only pension savers who risk being short-changed if they mistakenly assume pension tax incentives are taken care of automatically. Higher earners may need to claim tax relief too and could be missing out on thousands if they don’t.”
There are two main ways pension tax relief is delivered, and the difference matters. In a “net pay” arrangement, your pension contribution is taken from your salary before income tax is worked out. That usually means you get tax relief automatically at your marginal rate, with nothing more to do.
In a “relief at source” scheme, contributions are paid from your take-home pay. The provider then claims basic-rate relief from HMRC and adds it to your pension. Typically, paying £800 results in £200 being added, making a £1,000 contribution.
But if you’re a higher-rate taxpayer, that may not be the end of it. Someone taxed at 40% is usually entitled to additional relief on that £1,000 contribution. In many cases, a further £200 has to be claimed back from HMRC – and if it isn’t claimed, you effectively lose out.
Ms Young said: “Most employees will be saving into a pension by default thanks to auto-enrolment, with many people assuming that they’re getting the full tax relief they’re entitled to and that this is all handled by their pension provider, or their employer. While that’s the case for a lot of people, it isn’t true for everyone.”
AJ Bell says the issue could be wider than people realise, noting that Nest – the UK’s biggest workplace pension provider – uses a relief-at-source structure for its 13 million members.
To work out what you’re on, you can check your payslip or ask your employer or pension provider. If pension contributions come out before tax, you’re typically receiving relief automatically through net pay. If they’re taken after tax, it may be relief at source – and higher or additional-rate taxpayers could need to make a separate claim.
If you complete a Self Assessment return, pension contributions can be included there. If you don’t normally submit a tax return, you can usually claim directly from HMRC online or by writing to the tax authority. Claims can also be backdated by up to four years, which could allow some people to recover money from previous tax years.
Ms Young said: “Although it may feel like a faff, claiming what you’re owed could land you a rebate from the taxman worth hundreds, or even thousands of pounds.”
The reminder comes as fiscal drag – where wages rise but tax thresholds stay frozen – pushes more people into higher bands without any change to headline tax rates. Nearly nine million people are expected to pay income tax at higher or additional rates during the current tax year, making it especially important for anyone newly moved into the 40% band to check they’re not only getting basic-rate relief.
Ms Young said: “It’s particularly important for those people paying 40% tax for the first time to take note. That’s because they may only be receiving 20% tax relief – the basic rate – and are entitled to claim an additional 20% on top.”
She added: “If you’ve been a victim to the tax threshold freeze you’ll already be paying a higher income tax bill as a result, so make sure you aren’t unwittingly shooting yourself in the foot, stumbling into another tax trap by failing to claim back the full 40% rate of income tax on your pension contributions.”
What better way to mark the 10th anniversary of the It’s Called Ffasiwn project than with its first full exhibition in Wales, at the National Museum? It began in 2016 as the brainchild of one Valleys outsider and one Valleys insider: Clémentine Schneidermann, who came to Cardiff from France to study documentary photography at the University Of South Wales and subsequently fell in love with the area, and Charlotte James, a stylist and artist from Merthyr. But the stars are the photographs’ subjects – local children, several of whom have been enthusiastic participants from the very beginning.
Many a photographic series has sought to correct perceived misrepresentations of the Valleys, or to show them in a fresh light, and it’s in the latter respect that the Ffasiwn exhibition succeeds. The project blurs the boundaries between landscape and portrait photography, being as much focused on people as it is rooted in place.
The muted mundanity of the backdrops – housing estates, bus stations, social clubs – throws into vivid relief the bold and vibrant colours of the extravagant and out-of-place costumes, modelled by children who have no direct experience of the heavy industry that shaped the area but are living in the literal and metaphorical shadow of its spoilheaps. (Schneidermann and James clearly revel in this striking juxtaposition – their joint studio is named Bleak Fabulous.)
It’s always tempting to speculate over deeper resonance. Are the images (particularly the decision to feature children) a deliberate attempt to shift focus away from the Valleys’ past and towards their future? Do the kids’ adult outfits and makeup signify the loss of childhood innocence, a commentary on the fact that children grow up too fast? Could the photo that depicts a street party taking place between two rows of condemned, boarded-up terraced houses be an acknowledgement that the Brexit for which the Valleys voted has turned out to be the hollowest of victories? Perhaps.
But there remains a danger of imposing interpretations and reading too much into things – which is where the two short films, screened in a mock-up of a working men’s club, are invaluable. In them, the young participants reflect that the project has, primarily, been a lark: an opportunity to dress up, show off and have a laugh.
This isn’t to trivialise its impact, though. Schneidermann and James may have been the ultimate directors of operations, but the children were actively involved at every stage, including workshopping ideas and buying, creating and customising clothing ahead of shoots. They unanimously describe the experience as empowering: one that has helped to them to feel pride in both who they are and where they’re from.
As such, the films – and the exhibition as a whole – are testament to an exemplary case of long-term artistic commitment, close community engagement and genuinely collaborative practice, underlining that photographic projects can be a vehicle for creating positive social change on a local scale.
Ffasiwn, National Museum Cardiff, until Sun 4 Apr.
Admission: pay what you can (minimum £1). Info: here
words BEN WOOLHEAD
Services have been cancelled across the region on Sunday morning as a result of the ongoing incident.
Services from Cardiff Central to Pontypridd, Aberdare, Caerphilly, Coryton and Rhymney have all been cancelled this morning.
On the line to Rhymney the 9am service from Rhymney to Cardiff Central has been cancelled. That includes stops at Bargoed, Caerphilly and Queen Street.
The service due to depart Coryton for Cardiff Central at 9.14am has been cancelled. As have services from Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Central at 8.50am and 9.20am.
All services from Cardiff Bay have been cancelled so far this morning up to the 9.41am service to Queen Street.
The Timms Review has published draft recommendations on Personal Independence Payment reforms
Some disabled people could end up “treated less favourably” if ministers press ahead with proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), campaigners have warned. Disability Rights UK has raised fresh concerns after the Timms Review published draft recommendations setting out what a revamped system could look like.
While the charity said there were positives – including a commitment that PIP would remain non-means-tested – it fears the plans could still leave some claimants worse off. At the heart of the warning is language in the review suggesting PIP may no longer be delivered solely as a cash payment. The draft states that “cash will remain the foundation of the award”, but adds that “some awards will also include services and other non-cash support”.
Disability Rights UK says that shift, and how it is applied in practice, could mean some people are offered services or other help instead of receiving the full cash value of their award. Under the proposals, support could be split into “cost categories”, with examples including “equipment and aids; mobility and transport; clothing and bedding”. Disability Rights UK said the wording used across the draft was “vague and ambiguous”, leaving “much room for speculation and interpretation” about whether some disabled people could be treated less favourably than others.
The charity said it is particularly worried about people with conditions that can be less visible or more difficult to assess. It pointed to the forthcoming Fonagy report on ADHD, mental health and invisible impairments, and also highlighted the Government’s recent £3 million plan for community mental health support – arguing it raises questions about whether people who already struggle to qualify for PIP could be hit by any reforms.
Campaigners said: “The problem of vague language and proposals runs throughout the draft recommendations.” They also raised concerns about what they described as “almost complete silence” on a new eligibility framework for any replacement benefit, including whether any new system would apply to existing claimants as well as new applicants.
One idea in the draft is a “light touch” initial assessment. Disability Rights UK fears this could become a “tick-box exercise” that effectively separates impairment groups and pushes people down different application routes.
The review also contains proposals intended to improve the experience of applying for and receiving PIP. These include clearer guidance, more respectful language, improved reasonable adjustments and an advocacy service for people who need support to navigate the system.
There are also suggested reforms to assessments and decision-making, including a new PIP assessment framework aimed at governing how decisions are made and how appeals work. The draft recommends greater transparency and a review of the way supporting evidence is used.
Disability Rights UK said the proposed move to better support people with fluctuating impairments would be welcomed by many. It said the current points-based model “doesn’t capture the needs of people with fluctuating conditions”.
The warning comes amid signs the public may not back reductions in disability benefit spending. The NatCen Social Attitudes Survey, published on September 8, found 49% of people think there should be more spent on disability benefits even if that means higher taxes, while just 7% supported reducing spending. The report said this suggests proposals to cut disability benefit spending “could carry political risks”.
Disability Rights UK said the findings should be a “wake-up call for Government and the media to stop the continued and unfounded attacks on Disabled people and the welfare bill”, and called for a system that is “fair and truly meets our needs”.
The organisation also cited research involving 2,000 PIP recipients, where only 16% said the benefit covered all of their additional costs. Separate research into the so-called Activity Trap found 80% of disabled people were worried about being physically active because they feared losing their benefits – a concern campaigners say can deter people from taking part in everyday activities if they think it could be used as evidence they no longer need support.
Disability Rights UK and the Activity Trap study support the Commission on Social Security’s proposed Additional Costs Disability Payment as an alternative to PIP. They say it should keep a cash payment regardless of employment status, helping to cover extra costs linked to “living in an inaccessible society”. They also want “adversarial, tick-box assessments” replaced with personalised support and independent advocacy, arguing that “proper financial support – paid in cash” should sit within a wider focus on dignity, independent living and full participation in society.
Sophia Kleanthous, Campaigns and Policy Officer at Disability Rights UK, said: “The Government has consistently failed to properly include Disabled People’s Organisation’s in decisions and processes that affect us.” She also criticised the lack of notice given over “significant updates and decisions during the Timms Review process”, and said the Government had failed to “co-produce any part of the Review with DPOs despite promises to do so”.
Next, the draft recommendations will be discussed with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations and charities through a series of round-table sessions.
Extension
A non-material amendment has been submitted for a previously approved extension at 16 Whitcliffe Drive.
The proposal involves changing the external finish of the extension walls from a combination of render and facing brickwork to facing brickwork only.
This change has been requested by the client.
The original planning approval, granted under reference 2025/01192/FUL, includes a two-storey extension, a single-storey porch extension to the front elevation, and a single-storey side extension.
The plans also feature the installation of an air source heat pump and alterations to the existing windows and doors.
The amendment seeks to update the materials used in the construction, with all extension walls now proposed to be finished in facing brickwork.
It’s the weekend again, and what better way to top it all off than by winning the lottery. Tomorrow morning, someone could wake up a multi-millionaire with a £12m jackpot up for grabs in tonight’s National Lottery Lotto draw.
The winning Lotto numbers will be revealed at 8pm, with the Thunderball draw following shortly after, offering a top prize of £500,000. We’ll have all the results as they come in below.
Since its first draw on November 19, 1994, the UK National Lottery has distributed funds far beyond its winners. Around half of all ticket sales go towards prizes, while 28% supports good causes. The remainder is split between government duty (12%), retailers (5%), and the operator (5%).
Over the years, the lottery has created some eye-watering wins. The biggest ever Lotto prize came in April 2016, when a single anonymous ticket-holder scooped £35 million. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here.
Follow tonight’s results live below:
Dental issues can feel easy to shrug off.
In fact, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) figures estimate as many as one in three Americans – or 100 million – don’t get regular dental checkups, leaving issues such as tooth pain and puffy gums to linger undetected.
But an increasing body of research shows the mouth is a crucial indicator of overall health – often showing the first signs of chronic and debilitating conditions such as infections, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and even some forms of cancer.
‘The mouth is the one part of the body where a doctor can see bone, soft tissue, blood supply, and bacteria at the same time without cutting anything open,’ Dr Yev Davydov, general dentist and owner of Chroma Dental in New York City, told the Daily Mail.
‘It is also the entry point for everything you eat, drink and breathe. Whatever is happening in the rest of the body tends to show up there early.’
The mouth is home to billions of healthy and harmful bacteria. When gums become inflamed or bleed, bacteria seep into the blood vessels and carry germs to major organs such as the heart.
And while bad breath may be easy to blame on eating too much garlic or smelly fish, it may be a sign of harmful infections and uncontrolled health conditions.
Below, dentists have revealed to the Daily Mail the dental woes that should never be ignored.
While it’s easy to overlook dental care, the mouth can signal multiple chronic diseases, dentists warn
Tooth pain
‘Contrary to many people’s beliefs, tooth pain is a late signal, not an early one,’ Davydov said. ‘By the time a tooth hurts, the problem has usually been building for months or years.’
Davydov explains that bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar and starch, producing acid that, along with the bacteria, forms a sticky film on the teeth called plaque.
If that plaque is not removed through cleaning, it hardens into tartar that dissolves enamel and forms a tiny hole in the tooth, otherwise known as a cavity.
Early cavities are painless and likely to go unnoticed unless a dentist spots them during a regular cleaning. As the decay worsens, sensitivity to cold and sweets may begin. Pain, however, typically starts once the decay reaches the nerve.
Dr Kami Hoss, orthodontist and founder and CEO of SuperMouth, cautions that once the affected nerve dies, pain may disappear, but that does not mean the threat is gone.
‘Left alone, that becomes an abscess, a pocket of infection in the jawbone with open access to the bloodstream,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘That is no longer a dental problem. It is a chronic infection in the body.’
That infection can spread directly to the jawbone, surrounding teeth, sinuses and soft tissues in the face and neck.
Untreated dental infections have also been linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia due to chronic inflammation and the bacteria hardening arteries, making cells resistant to insulin and triggering damage in the brain’s memory centers.
The CDC estimates about one in five adults ages 20 to 64 have at least one untreated cavity.
‘The practical point is simple. A cavity caught early is a small filling,’ Davydov said. ‘A cavity caught late is a root canal and a crown, or an extraction and an implant.
‘Pain is the body telling you that you have already skipped the cheap option and the dentist is now trying their best to perform damage control.’
Swollen or bleeding gums
Gum disease has been associated with heart disease, diabetes and blood cancers such as leukemia
‘If your hands bled every time you washed them, you would see a doctor that afternoon. Yet millions of people see pink in the sink every night and call it “sensitive gums,”‘ Hoss said.
‘Gums are not sensitive. They are inflamed, and inflamed gums mean the barrier between your mouth and your blood has already been breached.’
Puffy and bleeding gums are a sign of gum disease, or gingivitis. In the early stages, regular brushing and flossing can alleviate this, but if the issue persists for multiple weeks, it may be a sign of more advanced disease, known as periodontitis.
‘The bacteria move below the gumline, the body’s inflammatory response starts destroying the bone that holds the teeth in place, and that bone does not grow back,’ Davydov said.
‘This is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and it is almost entirely preventable if treated early.’
He also notes that the ‘systemic links are well documented.’ Periodontitis has long been associated with higher rates of heart disease, stroke and poorly controlled diabetes.
Severe gum disease triggers a constant immune response, raising inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein and cytokines, which over time damage blood vessels, raising blood pressure and potentially cutting off blood flow to the heart and brain.
Dr Kami Hoss, pictured above, told the Daily Mail that people with bleeding gums should use a toothbrush with soft bristles
Chronic inflammation from infected gums also makes the body less responsive to insulin, which may worsen diabetes.
‘Gums that swell, turn purple or bleed far more than the plaque would explain can also be the first visible sign of leukemia or a clotting disorder, and bleeding that comes with bruising, fatigue or fevers is a doctor visit, not just a dental one,’ Hoss said.
He suggests in addition to visiting a dentist, people with bleeding gums should use a toothbrush with soft bristles to reach the gumline and floss regularly.
Loose teeth
While losing your teeth is a rite of passage in childhood, in adulthood, ‘a loose tooth is always a problem,’ Davydov told the Daily Mail.
‘Teeth are anchored in bone by a ligament. If a tooth is loose, something has damaged the bone, the ligament or both,’ he added.
Tooth loss is normally caused by advanced gum disease, in which chronic infection over several years has eaten away at the bone, leaving it unstable.
Davydov notes it may also be due to teeth grinding at night, which puts excess force on teeth that supporting bones are not equipped to handle, leading to teeth loosening over time.
‘Once a tooth is loose from bone loss, it is on a path to being lost, and the bone around it keeps shrinking after the tooth is gone,’ he said.
‘That is why people who lose teeth to gum disease also lose the option of easy implants later. There is not enough bone left to put them in.’
In rare cases, a loose tooth that has no obvious dental cause such as grinding or gum disease may be a sign of a tumor or cyst in the jaw.
‘Tumors and cysts in the jaw, both benign and malignant, can destroy bone and loosen teeth from the inside,’ Davydov said. ‘Certain cancers that spread to the jaw present the same way.
‘A single loose tooth in an otherwise healthy mouth, with no gum disease and no history of trauma, needs imaging and a proper diagnosis. It should never be dismissed.’
Lingering bad breath or taste
Bad breath is normal from time to time, but a persistent foul smell may be linked to autoimmune disorders or kidney disease (stock image)
It’s common for strong foods like garlic and fish to cause smelly breath for a few hours.
But if foul breath doesn’t go away after brushing, it’s ‘a diagnosis waiting to be made, not a hygiene failure,’ Hoss told the Daily Mail.
Bacteria that gets trapped under the gums, within deep cavities in the crevices of the tongue or around a crown or filling produce sulfur compounds, creating a foul smell.
Hoss also notes a common cause is the tongue, which many people neglect to clean with a dedicated tongue cleaner.
‘Dry mouth is the most underestimated cause of all,’ he said. ‘Saliva is the mouth’s immune system: it buffers acid, rebuilds enamel and washes bacteria away, and hundreds of common medications, mouth breathing and alcohol-based mouthwash all reduce it.’
Additionally, a persistent bad taste ‘can also point beyond the mouth,’ Hoss notes.
Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune condition that damages moisture-producing glands, has been shown to cause dryness in the mouth, causing microbes to multiply and result in bad odors.
Kidney disease also results in a failure to filter waste products from the blood, leading to a buildup of toxins called urea. When urea enters the saliva, it breaks down into ammonia, which causes a sharp odor.
Persistent mouth sores
Most sores in the mouth are canker sores, painful ulcers that usually come from biting the cheek, but in some cases, they could signal something serious.
‘The rule I give patients is simple. Any sore, lump, white patch, red patch or rough area in the mouth that has not healed in two weeks needs to be looked at,’ Davydov said.
‘Not watched. Looked at.’
Davydov warns sores that do not heal may be a sign of oral cancer, especially on the side of the tongue.
Striking about 60,000 Americans every year and killing 13,000, oral cancer is often caused by tobacco smoking, heavy alcohol use and the sexually transmitted infection human papillomavirus (HPV).
‘Caught early, survival is excellent. Caught late, it is one of the more disfiguring and deadly cancers there is,’ Davydov said.
‘The difference is often whether somebody looked in the mouth in time.’
Hoss also notes recurring sores canker sores have been linked to deficiencies in vitamins such as folate, iron and B12, as well as autoimmune conditions such as lupus due to inflamed mucous membranes in the mouth.
What you can do
People with a history of gum disease may require more frequent cleanings, such as every three months
Davydov stresses that preventing serious diseases in the mouth ‘is not complicated.’
He suggests brushing twice per day with a toothpaste containing fluoride, which has been shown to strengthen enamel and prevent tooth decay. Flossing is also key for preventing gum disease.
‘Do not smoke. Drink water,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘Get a professional cleaning and examination at least twice a year because plaque hardens into tartar within days, and no amount of home care removes tartar once it forms.’
Patients with a history of gum disease may need to be seen every three to four months to keep bacteria from repopulating below the gumline, and those with conditions linked to mouth issues, such as heart disease and diabetes, may require more frequent monitoring.
‘Oral care is medical care,’ Hoss told the Daily Mail. ‘Your mouth has been trying to tell you about the rest of your body your entire life. It is worth learning to listen.’
