Perimenopause + Beyond
What do women approaching menopause need to know about oral health?
During perimenopause, menopause, and beyond: you'll notice all kinds of changes to your body. As you approach menopause, you'll begin to lose estrogen.
You'll get irregular periods and eventually stop menstruating. You may get hot flashes. You may experience dry skin and weight gain.
Pay close attention to changes you might be experiencing in your mouth. The loss of estrogen can affect bone density and moisture. Bone loss and dryness can impact your oral health.
Let's discuss dental symptoms you may start to notice during perimenopause and beyond.
Growing gaps can be a warning sign of osteoporosis
Are you seeing some gaps between your teeth? Or have you noticed that some spaces between your teeth seem to be growing wider?
It could be that periodontal disease is more active with the estrogen loss and bone loss associated with perimenopause and menopause. You'll need both a medical and a dental assessment to find out.
Osteoporosis is a risk factor for periodontal bone loss. Systemically, weight-bearing exercise, calcium, and vitamin D supplements can improve your overall bone health.
Your doctor might also prescribe hormones to help with osteoporosis. Hormone treatments can potentially improve your oral health as well as overall bone health.
If you notice changes to your mouth while you're taking hormones for bone loss, see your doctor. You may need to re-assess the types and quantities of hormones you're receiving.
If you're already starting to lose bone density, you may need to have more frequent cleanings at your dentist or periodontist. For example, you may need quarterly cleanings if you're noticing gaps, spaces, bleeding, or inflammation.
Your doctor may recommend medication to help with osteoporosis. If so, see your dentist prior to starting the medication.
Many medications that treat osteoporosis carry a risk of loss -- or even death -- of part of the jaw bone. You'll want to talk to your dentist to more thoroughly evaluate your risks.
Dryness: it's not just your skin, it's your mouth, too
If you thought cavities were just for kids, guess again. With the estrogen loss associated with menopause, the risk for cavities or caries can increase.
Have you noticed your mouth getting dryer? Or that your mouth feels like it's burning? Saliva loss is often associated with estrogen loss. And a dry mouth can increase the potential for sore or bleeding gums, infections, and tooth decay.
If you experience dry mouth during perimenopause or menopause, consider dietary changes. Eat less sugar and drink more water. This can improve the moisture levels in your mouth that can give you a brighter and healthier smile.
You may also wish to try an over-the-counter Oral Balance Gel to help protect your mouth tissue. You can rub this gel on your tongue, and spread it to the sides of your mouth. For example, Biotene Gel TM can help trap in moisture to make your mouth feel more normal.
Take greater care with brushing and flossing. The way you were taught to brush may have changed since you were a kid. For up-to-date methods, visit the Mouth Healthy site for brushing and flossing how-tos.
Five Steps to a Flawless Floss
What about whitening?
If your teeth become stained or discolored with time, you might want to try using a toothpaste with whitening agents. Whitening toothpastes are usually a little more abrasive if you have a stain or yellowing on the outside of your teeth.
If your teeth become sensitive, stop whitening. Try using a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. After a few weeks, you can usually go back to a whitening toothpaste.
And for a natural-looking smile, keep an eye on your eyes. As you get older, the whites of your eyes will naturally get a little bit darker.
You'll want to keep your teeth around the same whiteness as the whites of your eyes. Any whiter and your smile will look fake.
Stick to dentist-approved whitening methods. A whitening toothpaste is usually all you need to brighten a healthy smile.
What's going on in your mouth?
You're going through a lot of changes in perimenopause and beyond. Be aware of what's going on in your mouth. Mouth changes can serve as warning signs that you have an underlying issue that needs to be addressed to maintain optimum overall health.
