Fertility + Family Planning
From your first period to your last...your fertile years
You might be planning to have a baby. Conversely, you might be trying to avoid pregnancy.
Either way, your fertile years provide you with unique dental challenges. Let's go over what you need to know to keep your mouth healthy during your fertility cycles.
Swollen gums:
it's not your period, it's your plaque.
Some women think swollen or bleeding gums are a normal part of getting their period. It's not.
When your mouth bleeds or your gums swell, it's not because "it's that time of the month". It's because your hormones are reacting to the plaque in your mouth.
During ovulation and menstruation, your hormones can cause a heightened response to plaque. If you get inflamed or bleeding gums before or during your period: that's not normal or healthy. It means you have too much plaque in your mouth for your own good.
Any swelling or bleeding in your mouth means you need to be more proactive every day of the month. You need to take greater care with brushing and flossing.
If you still have bleeding or inflamed gums after two full months of excellent oral hygiene, consult your dental health provider. Your dentist and hygienist can provide you with the insight and assistance you need to improve your oral health.
Birth control:
how does it impact your dental health?
The pill. The ring. The patch. The IUD.
Hormones in these common birth control methods can cause changes in your mouth. Each device has an effect on your estrogen and progesterone levels.
Progesterone is found in many forms of birth control. Your gums will become more inflamed in response to plaque.
After you start using birth control, you might notice bleeding and swelling in your mouth. This doesn't mean that you should stop taking birth control: it means you need to take more time and care with flossing and brushing at the gum line.
Birth control can also impact how you heal following some dental treatments. After a tooth extraction, for example, women on birth control have a slightly greater risk of a clot not forming. This means they might not heal as well.
Without normal clotting, you're at risk of a painful condition called dry sockets. A dry socket will require additional help by your doctor for proper healing.
However, there are much bigger risks for dry sockets than birth control. Smoking and using a straw to sip beverages? They're actually much bigger risks for clotting failure and dry socket.
Nonetheless, tell your doctor about any medications you're taking prior to dental surgery. The impact of birth control on oral health is small, but it's definitely worth mentioning.
Fertility treatments:
what every woman must know
Any woman who's trying to get pregnant needs to be healthy. This includes oral health.
The inflammatory markers that get released in periodontal disease can travel back into the bloodstream. This can make it difficult or -- or even impossible -- to get pregnant.
When you take hormones to increase fertility, periodontal disease can quickly accelerate. The hormones you're taking are not localized to your ovaries and uterus: they're systemic. They travel throughout your entire body. This includes your mouth.
If your oral hygiene isn't adequate -- or if you have an undiagnosed periodontal disease -- you might start to see unwelcome changes in your mouth after beginning fertility treatments. Your gums might become more inflamed as the hormones react to the plaque in your mouth.
Sometimes, you can get so involved with your fertility specialist, you might ignore other preventive health measures. But remember: you still need to see your primary care physician. You still need to see your regular OB/GYN. And of course, you still need to see your dentist.
When you decide that you're ready to plan for a family, have a thorough dental exam. A healthy mouth can actually make it easier for you to get pregnant.
Take ownership of your health
Whether you're planning a family - or planning to avoid having a family: take care of your teeth. Brushing and flossing is easy, simple, and affordable. A few dental visits a year is a solid investment in your long term health and well-being.
