A warning has been issued over a little-known symptom of the menopause. Hot flashes and night sweats are among the most infamous menopause maladies. But experts say you might want to pay attention to your teeth and gums.
“I’m not sure that people are aware of this,” said Dr. Thomas Sollecito, chief of oral medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Hormonal changes — mainly a sharp drop in estrogen — can reduce bone density and saliva production and harm your gums.
All of that can affect your teeth. Oral care experts say there are ways to counteract these effects and keep your menopausal mouth healthy. Menopause happens when a woman goes 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.
But some of the hormone-related dental problems may begin during perimenopause, when the ovaries gradually make less estrogen, said Dr. Maiara Hister-Cockrell, a dentist with the University of Texas Health San Antonio. One of the biggest concerns is less saliva, which Sollecito called "one of the most important fluids in our body.
” When the saliva flow slows, it can cause dry mouth, which brings a greater risk of mouth soreness, oral yeast infections and cavities. Those risks are even higher when people take medicines for high blood pressure or diabetes that can also cause dry mouth, Hister-Cockrell said. Less saliva also means less of its bacteria-killing enzymes and tooth-strengthening minerals, said Dr.
Sally Cram, a periodontist in Washington, D.C. When your mouth is dry, she .