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Oral Health and Menopause: The Mouth-Body Connection
You can improve your overall health in every way when you use your toothbrush, floss and paste every day
The Effects on the Mouth
If you are a woman between 44-54 years of age, you may have experienced hot flashes and insomnia, symptoms which reflect the declining function of your ovaries (called hypogonadism). Oral symptoms, including dry mouth with increased sensitivity to pain, reduced taste, increased cavities, and burning discomfort can also occur as the gums and teeth change in response to the loss of the ovarian hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. It is important, therefore, to maintain a daily oral hygiene routine consisting of twice daily two minute tooth brushing preceded at night by flossing between each tooth with waxed or woven dental floss.
If teeth are not routinely cleaned, surface plaque forms. If plaque, a sticky layer of oral bacteria and food residue, is not removed within 36-72 hours, it becomes calcified onto teeth as tartar, which absorbs food and beverage stains and causes inflammation and bleeding in the gum tissue surrounding the tooth. As a result, the gums lose their attachment to the teeth and bones resulting in tooth loss. The bacteria in plaque metabolize dietary sugars, especially sucrose, into acids which penetrate the tooth enamel thus damaging its internal structure causing cavities.
Tartar can only be removed by professional dental cleaning.
What is Saliva and why is it important?
Saliva is a liquid made by the salivary glands located in your cheeks and under your tongue. It is a supersaturated solution of calcium and phosphorus ions, immune factors, bacteriostatic compounds and digestive enzymes which can remineralize early small surface dental defects, prevent infections in the mouth and partially digest food as we chew it, respectively.
Additional Risk Factors for Dry Mouth
- Smoking — The tars and nicotine from smoking damage the mucous membranes of the mouth causing inflammation.
- Dietary Sugars — Consumption of sugar in beverages, particularly carbonated ones, and snacks is a two pronged assault because bacteria that cause cavities metabolize sugar and acidic carbonated beverages erode tooth enamel.
- Medications — Certain medications such as blood pressure medications (anti-hypertensives), antidepressants, antihistamines, glaucoma medicines, and chemotherapy drugs can decrease salivary flow.
- Radiation treatment — People treated with head and neck radiation for cancer lose salivary gland function and require saliva substitutes, mouth moisturizing gels and more frequent professional dental follow-up. Teeth can be more brittle after treatment.
Inflammation and Poor Dental Health
Poor dental health contributes to medical illness because the accumulation of bacteria in plaque causes inflammation, which destroys the periodontium (tissues that surround and support the teeth). The extensive blood supply of the mouth permits the infection and inflammation to travel to other organs of the body interfering with function and resulting in illness. Table 1 lists such medical illnesses.
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Table 1 Medical Consequences of Poor Oral Health |
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Strokes |
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Heart Attacks |
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Poor Control of Diabetes, types 1 and 2 |
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Aspiration Pneumonia |
What you can do for your oral and general health
- Brush teeth twice daily with a soft bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste
- Use waxed or woven floss before last brushing at bedtime to clean between teeth
- Change toothbrush every 3 months
- Choose alcohol-free mouthwashes
- Follow up with your dentist every 6 months for a professional cleaning
- Eat a healthy diet with adequate protein, whole grain carbohydrates, heart healthy fat, vegetables and fruit
- Skip or Sip carbonated beverages through a straw and minimize sugary snacks
- Xylitol-only mints or gum (Spry®) can minimize plaque buildup between brushings
- Speak with your doctor about the use of Ovarian Replacement Therapy (ORT) to replace the hormones your ovaries are no longer producing
Helpful Web Sites
- The American Dental Association. Oral Topics A-Z. Website available at: www.ada.org//public/topics/
- American Academy of Periodontology. Women and Periodontal Disease. Protecting Oral Health Throughout Your Life. Available at: www.perio.org/consumer/women.htm
- The World’s Healthiest Foods website at www.whfoods.org
- Diamond Research Foundation. Information on preventing and treating hypogonadism. Website at http://www.DiamondRF.org
Men have 5-10 times more estrogen than a woman after she suffers ovarian failure (menopause)