How are women’s dental needs different than men’s?

Good dental health is essential to good overall health.  Women face unique challenges in maintaining their dental health due to hormones and how they fluctuate during different stages of life and pregnancy.  These changes can make women more susceptible to gingivitis and gum disease.  And gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of problems including heart disease, preterm low birth weight babies and a woman’s ability to control conditions like diabetes.

How do a woman’s hormones affect gum disease?  Well basically it starts at puberty.  An increase in female sex hormones coincides with an increase in gingivitis (mild to severe) when a girl reaches puberty.  This is due to changes in the gum tissue, the response of the oral bacteria to those hormones (oral contraceptives too!) and the reaction of the gums to the irritation of plaque and debris as a result of these changes.  This is a common theme throughout a woman’s life as natural cycles cause changes in those hormones regularly.    “Canker sores” can often occur prior to a woman’s period as well.   During pregnancy the hormone changes can be much more exaggerated.  60-75% of pregnant woman have some gingivitis, some may be severe enough to cause pain, bleeding and even need minor surgical correction.  Later in life, menopause may also cause dry mouth, oral pain with red or inflamed gums and osteoporosis may worsen bone loss around teeth due to gum disease.

A healthy diet, good oral care at home and professional dental care can help minimize and treat these issues before they can become serious enough to cause tooth loss.