The onset of menopause, you will experience many changes in your body. A lesser known, but still important set of menopausal side effects is dental issues. The following is what you can expect when you’re going through menopause and how you can take care of your oral health while going through these changes:
Symptoms or Problems you may experience
- Pain and Discomfort: During and even after menopause, many women experience pain in their teeth and complain that their sense of taste has diminished. It’s known to experience a burning sensation in the mouth that affect the tongue, lips, palate, gingival and areas of denture support.
- Bone loss: With changes in estrogen levels affecting the strength of teeth, bone loss can be experienced as well. It can lead to tooth loss and can be an early sign of osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become porous, brittle and subject to fracture.
- Dryness in the Mouth: Saliva is our body’s natural defence against tooth decaying bacteria. Without it, you are more likely to get cavities. Menopause affects your production of saliva in the mouth making you feel uncomfortable and susceptible to oral diseases.
- Mucosal changes: During this phase of life, your overall oral health is significantly affected making your gums weak. Your gums can feel dry and appear pale and shiny during this time. Gum bleeding is a common occurance and can lead to serious conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis as a result of the hormonal changes in the body. Close monitoring is crucial to avoid this.
- Eating Disorders: With the various hormonal changes, it is easy to experience psychological distress which can lead to stress eating or unhealthy eating habits which can then lead to erosion of tooth enamel.
Ways to take care of your teeth in Menopause
Eat well: Menopause can affect and change your sense of taste and make your teeth and gums weak. It is crucial to eat foods like green leafy vegetables, carrots, apples, raw veggies or nuts. You should avoid foods high in sugar, salt and acid.
Saliva Sprays: Saliva sprays are used to provide relief of symptoms such as a feeling of dryness or stickiness in the mouth or bad breath. Since menopause causes dryness of mouth, you can use the spray to help you keep teeth and gums moist and surrounded by the right bacteria.
Say no to the Grind: If you have a habit of grinding your teeth, with menopause it will be worse because of reduced collagen, teeth are more likely to move around. If you still have a problem, you can use night gaurds to help you sleep without grinding.
Avoid Alcohol: Alcohol is high in sugar and acidic in nature. Avoid making teeth enamel more vulnerable to wear, tear and staining.
Finding the right dentist to address your concerns is a difficult task but we’re here for you to make this transition as smooth as possible.We have an experienced team of professionals at the multi-speciality Dental Health Care Center – Creative Smiles with Dr. Veejay Deshpandey, Dental Surgeon and Implantologist and an innovator in the field of Implant Dentistry heading the team. At Creative Smiles, we offer the most advanced dental services at very affordable prices.
Creative Smiles, in Thane, Mumbai can bring the sparkle back to your smile and help you attain a smile you’ll be proud to show off. To learn more about the benefits of full mouth rehabilitation, contact us to schedule your no-obligation consultation today!