Things change daily, possibly more than once in a single 24-hour period. However, as we mature, our bodies change, possibly more gradually. While both men and women go through different stages and transitions throughout their lives, your dentist wants you to be aware that women’s hormonal changes can affect both general and oral health.
How Dental Health Issues Affect Women Differently Than Men
Men and women experience nearly identical life phases. Despite not going through menopause, males age just like everyone else. A woman’s life phases can bring up a variety of dental health issues:
- Puberty: During puberty, a woman encounters her first significant hormonal change. Although it differs from person to person, puberty can commence as early as age eight and typically occurs when a young woman is 14. Adolescence is a time of many changes, including shifts in mood, estrogen levels, and progesterone levels. Those last two hormones may impact the state of your dentition. Because estrogen and progesterone increase blood flow to the gums, pubescent women frequently have swollen or red gums that can bleed when cleaning or flossing.
- Menstruation: After puberty and even when most women are in their early to late teens, additional hormonal changes will remain. When a woman’s menstrual period starts, she must pay close attention to the condition of her gums. During this time, canker sores or sore gums are commonly experienced by women. Both should disappear independently; if not, contact your dentist to schedule a visit. Additionally, hormonal changes can cause dry mouth during this time, increasing the risk of cavities or foul odor.
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy can lead to physiological changes when a woman prepares to become a mother. Dental care is essential during pregnancy because it reduces the risk of premature delivery, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. A mouth disease called gingivitis is quite common in expectant mothers. In actuality, hormone shifts in about 50% of all pregnant women lead to gingivitis. Visit your doctor regularly and keep brushing and flossing while you are pregnant.
- Menopause: The last stage of major hormonal shifts in women is menopause. This time, hormone levels fall rather than increase. Ladies who experience hormone loss might develop osteoporosis, have thinner bones, or have weaker mandible bones. The fragility of the jaw bone increases the probability of tooth loss and the requirement for dentures or dental implants to replace lost teeth.
Men and women have very similar dental health conditions. For example, they have the same anatomy, gum tissue, and teeth numbers. However, due to biological and social variables, males and women have slightly varying oral health. Men are more prone to develop gum disease and mouth cancer, while women are more apt to attend the dentist.
Dentistry of Miami Can Help You With All Your Dental Concerns.
Being a lady is easier enough than thinking about dental appointments all the time. You can get assistance from the personnel at Dentistry of Miami with your worries. To make an appointment, contact Drs. Randy L. Furshman or Eduardo Solorzano at (305) 598-2622 right away.
