Today's Topic
Today on A.Vogel Talks Menopause, I'm going to be talking about how perimenopause and menopause can affect your teeth.
I get so many women contacting me regularly about their symptoms, and just recently, I've had quite a few who are experiencing problems with their teeth and gums, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to look at this in more detail.
So, I will be looking at things like tooth trouble, gum trouble, what can happen to your mouth and teeth during perimenopause and menopause, and what you can do to help yourself.
Tooth decay
Tooth decay can be a big issue. If you think about it, by the time we get to perimenopause and menopause, we've had our teeth for a very long time, and tooth decay is a natural process anyway. But we know that during perimenopause and menopause, with all the hormonal changes going on, it can actually make this whole process more troublesome.
It can be due to your mouth becoming drier, which is a common symptom. We have good bacteria in the mouth (as well as bad), that help to protect our teeth. Your saliva is a sort of antiseptic and helps to destroy any bad bacteria that are in the mouth. So, if you are producing less saliva because your mouth is getting drier, then this can affect the bacterial balance in the mouth. And we know that having a lot of the bad bacteria can be a huge factor in general tooth decay.
Receding gums
We know too that falling oestrogen levels can affect the mucous membranes of the body, including the inside of the mouth, which can make your gums more sensitive and more vulnerable to recession.
Your gums help to stabilise your teeth, so if your gums start to recede it can make you much more vulnerable to tooth loss and also more susceptible to tooth decay.
Reduced bone density
We know too that falling oestrogen levels can affect bone density - not just necessarily the bigger and more important bones in the body such as your legs and arms, but this can also affect your teeth too.
Your teeth can get weaker. They can chip more easily too. And your jawbone itself can start to shrink too, and that can also lead to tooth loss.
Toothache
This is a strange and surprising one! But old injuries can often ache again during perimenopause and menopause. This can include past dental work you've had done, especially things like root canal treatment, crowns or tooth extractions.
What can you do to help your teeth during perimenopause and menopause?
So, what to do here?
Practice good oral hygiene. This is really important! So that's brushing twice a day, flossing, and using natural mouthwash. Your mouth can become much more sensitive at this time, so I recommend using alcohol-free mouthwash. You can also try more natural toothpaste if your mouth is more sensitive.
I use a Neem-based toothpaste which can be really effective. It's anti-inflammatory. It's anti-bad bacterial. And I know it seems to work very well for me.
You can also look at a supplement called CoQ10 if you're getting loose or receding gums.
Remember to drink plenty of water to keep those mucous membranes hydrated. And, you can use a Sea Buckthorn Oil supplement, which can help ease dry mouth by keeping the membranes in your mouth nice and stabilised.
Eat well too. Avoid sugar and sweetened fizzy drinks because they are really your teeth's enemy.
Go for calcium and magnesium supplements too, just to help with all of the bone-strengthening issues.
It’s important to consult your dentist
If you are worried about your teeth at all, if you're getting any of these symptoms, it's really important to get everything checked out by your dentist as well. They can also offer lots of good advice on helping to keep your mouth as healthy as possible as you go through perimenopause and menopause.
So, hope you found this one helpful. If any of you have any other advice on keeping your mouth healthy, then please comment.
Until next time, take care.
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Mouth problems during menopause
Can menopause cause a strange taste in the mouth?
