While everyone young and old, male or female, should strive to maintain optimal periodontal health, it is important to realize that some dental problems are specific to women. Indeed, during a recent visit to my cosmetic dentist learned that there are certain events in a woman’s life such as pregnancy and menopause have marked impact on oral health.

As such, there are certain precautions women must take throughout their lives to prevent serious dental problems. Of course, this does not even take into consideration a large number of patients that don’t take steps to care for their teeth properly.

Vital Stats and Figures on Women’s Dental Health

According to several surveys, it is now accepted that women are more likely to take care of their teeth than men. Nearly 29% of women maintain the proper brushing routine or brush twice a day or even after two major meals of a day.

Moreover, 50% of men face the dental issues between the ages of 55 to 90, but the statistics say the number of women in the same age group facing dental problems is only 44%.

These numbers alone don’t show the entire picture as nothing about the numbers signifies any reason for concern on the part of women. Nonetheless, as we are about to discuss there is reason for women to be extra vigilant as it pertains to their oral health.

Oral Issues that Primarily Impact Women

The different through hormonal stages that women experience during their lifetime make them susceptible to several severe dental problems. The menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and even menopause can cause lasting damage to a woman’s oral tissue.

Additionally, it has recently been shown that some of the medications commonly prescribed during pregnancy, may also lead to tooth decay, bleeding gums, etc. During the pregnancy, women must pay close attention to the different types of drug interactions. Likewise, other major health conditions that are more commonly diagnosed in women such as Sjogren’s Syndrome, anorexia nervosa, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. may also adversely affect a women’s periodontal health.

When Women are Most Vulnerable to Dental Issues

While pregnancy can be an exciting time for families overall, it can wreak havoc on a woman’s gums. Namely, this is due to changes in blood flow that either causes too much or too little blood to reach the gums. As a result, a buildup of plaque and bacteria can quickly develop into gum disease during this time period. And while not all women experience nausea during pregnancy, the percentage that do vomit must worry about the high acid content wearing down their tooth enamel.

How Women Can Maintain Good Periodontal Health throughout Their Lives

Sadly, dental problems in women have been linked to breast cancer, heart disease, strokes, and even diabetes. So, in addition to observing good eating habits and healthy oral hygiene habits, it’s critical for women to let their dentist know when they are pregnant, experiencing menopause, etc.

Doing so allows the dentist to make adjustments or to prescribe specific dental care routines that can prevent the tooth problems we discussed earlier.