Your weight, your body, your mood, your desire. The only thing capable of fluctuating these aspects of your health is your female hormones. But you may be surprised to know that apart from these, your female hormones can also affect your oral health, and that too, up to a great extent!

Periodic hormonal surges make you highly vulnerable to gum infections. This is because the female hormones –estrogen and progesterone increase the blood flow to your gums, which makes them  more sensitive and they hyper-react to anything that may irritate them. This causes your gums to become inflamed and bleed even on the slightest touch. Long-standing inflammation may lead to loss of supporting bone around the teeth and eventually, you may lose your teeth.

Puberty

During this phase, the raging hormones can cause a teenage girl’s gums to become reddish, swollen and bleeding. Sometimes, they may even get enlarged because of overreaction to plaque deposits. The best treatment? Prevention. Brush twice a day to minimize plaque deposits and floss at least once.

Menstruation

It is not uncommon to experience swelling and bleeding from your gums, canker sores or swollen salivary glands during those days of the month. These symptoms generally subside as soon as your period ends — but if they don’t, then you need to consult your dentist.

Birth Control Pills

If you are on the pill and need to undergo dental treatment, make sure you inform your dentist. This is because some of the medications prescribed by your dentist can make your birth control measures ineffective.  Getting a tooth extracted while on the pill, may place you at a potential danger of a very painful complication – dry socket.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body is in a condition of hormonal hyper-drive. You may suffer from  pregnancy gingivitis. It is a mild form of disease which causes chronic inflammation in your gums. Visiting your dentist during pregnancy is absolutely safe and incredibly important. You should get your teeth cleaned frequently, especially during the second and third trimesters.

Menopause

Menopause brings with it a huge difference to a woman’s life, including her mouth.  Altered taste, burning sensation, increased sensitivity, dry mouth and bone loss are some of the major problems faced by women during this phase. If you suffer from dry mouth, your salivary flow is greatly reduced and you are prone to develop cavities easily. The lowered estrogen that occurs with menopause leads to reduced bone density. In order to minimize your risk of bone loss, make sure you are getting a proper intake of Vitamin-D and calcium.

The influence of your female hormones can be overcome simply by taking good care of your mouth and visiting your dentist from time to time. Most of these problems are actually preventable and can be easily treated in their early stages. All you have to do is just to start paying extra attention and maintaining good oral hygiene during the various important phases in your life.

Comments