Woman's Oral Health
The hormonal imbalances women experience during
puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause
can cause many changes to the body. This is particularly
evident in gums where women may suffer a variety
of symptoms ranging from bleeding, tenderness and
swelling of their gums.
During puberty, the changes our body experience,
along with increased levels of progesterone can
cause changes in the blood supply to the gums,
making them swollen and more susceptible to damage
from gathering bacteria. Many women therefore often
find that they get mild gum disease before and
during menstruation. Usually the condition is much
worse before a period starts, and tails off towards
the end of it.
Similar symptoms of bleeding, swelling and tenderness
can occur during pregnancy. In more severe cases,
due to the prolonged period of intense changes
in hormone levels, some women develop little outgrowths
of their gums which occasionally bleed. These growths
(known as pregnancy epulis) usually appear early
on in the pregnancy and slowly disappear towards
the end. In some cases the growths need to be surgically
removed.
Recent research has also shown that women who
have gum disease during pregnancy tend to have
babies which are underweight or born prematurely,
so it is very important to look after your gums
and teeth during pregnancy.
Menopause is another time of hormonal change and
again the symptoms of bleeding, red and swollen
gums may be evident. In addition, some women find
that their saliva starts to dry up and they suffer
from dryness in their mouths. This can often result
in burning or other painful symptoms, which can
be made worse when eating.
So, while
everybody should make sure that plaque bacteria
are removed from around their gums and
between their teeth to prevent them from infecting
the gums and causing gum disease, women in particular
need to be careful during those times when hormonal
changes occur. Any bleeding or swelling or tenderness
of the gums that doesn't stop within 3 or 4 days,
even with extra vigorous care in the affected areas,
should be dealt with promptly by a dental professional
such as an hygienist, a dentist, or a periodontist.
Further
Reading
1. Rose LF, Steinberg BJ, Minsk L
Compend.Contin.Educ Dent 2000 Oct;21(10a);870-7
2. Krejci CB, Bissada NF
J Am Dent Assoc 2002 Mar;133 (3);323-9
3. Jeffcoat MK
Compend Contin Educ Dent Suppl.2000(30);5-11
4. Zeeman GG, Veth EO, Dennison DK
Obstet Gynecol Surv 2001 Jan ;56 (1);43-9
