Why Women's Oral Health Matters

Good oral health protects your teeth against gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral problems. Oral health is paramount for any person’s overall health. However, women’s oral health is critical since it is affected by other factors. These factors include changing hormonal levels from puberty, pregnancy, using particular birth control, and hitting menopause. Each stage has different hormonal adjustments, which can impact oral health.

New Vision Dentistry is a dental clinic in Citrus Heights, CA, that gives women’s oral health tips. They have professional dentists who help women learn more about the connection between their hormones and oral health.

Women’s Oral Health Throughout Life

Oral health is critical throughout a woman’s life, specifically during pregnancy. Women should therefore have access to comprehensive and affordable dental care. You can visit a dentist in Citrus Heights to receive expert advice on dental health. Oral health is affected in various ways by the different stages of a woman’s life. They include:

Puberty

Puberty is the stage where girls achieve sexual maturity, triggering increased production of specific hormones. These hormones increase the blood flow, thus making some dental parts like the gums reddened due to the influx of blood. They also become swollen and tender and are more susceptible to bleeding during brushing and flossing. It is, therefore, critical for women to prioritize their oral health, particularly cleaning braces and following healthy eating habits.

Menstruation

Menstruation causes monthly hormone level fluctuations, which cause increased salivary proteins, thus causing bad breath just before the monthly cycles. At this stage, they should brush more diligently, floss more carefully and use a tongue scrapper after meals. Also, using a mouth rinse severally during the day helps combat problems. Progesterone production in higher amounts during ovulation causes swelling of your gums, which may cause them to bleed.

Pregnancy

Maintaining good oral health during pregnancy is very important. It has proved to improve the overall health of the baby. By improving a woman’s oral health, you also prevent cavities in the young child by a significant proportion.

During pregnancy, a woman’s body produces more estrogen and progesterone hormones. Production of these hormones in large amounts causes pregnancy gingivitis. It is characterized by swelling, redness, and bleeding of the gums and surrounding tissues. If not controlled, gingivitis proceeds to a severe form of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss.

Untreated gum disease can also lead to low-birth-weight babies and pre-term babies. It is, therefore, paramount to prevent pregnancy gingivitis. You can use professional cleanings to keep conditions such as gingivitis and gum disease at bay. Other strategies to curb the condition include observing good oral health habits like brushing your teeth twice with fluoride toothpaste and flossing them regularly.

Use of Birth Control

Women using birth control pills or oral contraceptives should inform their dentist because it’s important to maintain good oral health when taking this medication. These pills also increase the secretion of progesterone which triggers an increase in blood flow to the gums. This condition increases a woman’s risk of contracting gum disease. The dentist may prescribe antibiotics to treat the gum disease, and thus essential to keep in touch with a dentist.

Menopause

When women hit menopause, they should focus on their oral health. After menopause, women usually experience dry mouth because of decreased saliva production. According to professional dentists, saliva plays an important role in protecting against gum disease and tooth decay. It washes off the remains of food particles, fights germs, prevents bad breath, and neutralizes acids in the mouth. Women experiencing dry mouth after menopause should inform their dentist promptly.

Also, hormonal changes during menopause heighten a woman’s risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis in the jaw may cause teeth loss. To prevent tooth loss from this condition, women should stick to healthy eating habits with plenty of vitamin D and calcium.

Conclusion

Hormones must exist; thus, it’s a matter of living with them. Even though they often fluctuate, at different times, they should not interfere with a woman’s capacity to have a healthy smile at all stages of her life. Women should maintain oral health via good oral habits like flossing, brushing, eating a healthy diet, and visiting the dentist regularly.