As a woman, you may encounter unique oral health problems that men do not face, and many are related to the hormone fluctuations you encounter throughout your monthly cycle or contraceptives you may take. Read on to find out just what these potential problems are and what to do about them.
Menstruation Gingivitis
It is important to recognize the signs of menstruation gingivitis, because without knowing what it is and why it occurs, you may worry more than necessary over seemingly random periods of gum inflammation. Next time your gums seem to randomly bleed when flossing or become sore for no apparent reason, check the calendar to see if your monthly period is arriving soon.
If these issues occur every month (or only some months) right around this same time, then you likely have menstruation gingivitis. This occurs because your body's natural levels of two hormones called progesterone and estrogen become much higher just before menstruation. When these hormone levels are high, they can cause your gum tissue to become more sensitive to the presence of plaque, and this can lead to otherwise healthy gum tissue becoming inflamed. When your period begins, levels of these hormones drop, and this should cause the irritation to quickly cease just after your period begins. …show more content…
However, keeping your teeth as free of plaque as possible with regular professional dental cleanings, daily flossing, and brushing properly can help minimize these
Menstruation Gingivitis
It is important to recognize the signs of menstruation gingivitis, because without knowing what it is and why it occurs, you may worry more than necessary over seemingly random periods of gum inflammation. Next time your gums seem to randomly bleed when flossing or become sore for no apparent reason, check the calendar to see if your monthly period is arriving soon.
If these issues occur every month (or only some months) right around this same time, then you likely have menstruation gingivitis. This occurs because your body's natural levels of two hormones called progesterone and estrogen become much higher just before menstruation. When these hormone levels are high, they can cause your gum tissue to become more sensitive to the presence of plaque, and this can lead to otherwise healthy gum tissue becoming inflamed. When your period begins, levels of these hormones drop, and this should cause the irritation to quickly cease just after your period begins. …show more content…
However, keeping your teeth as free of plaque as possible with regular professional dental cleanings, daily flossing, and brushing properly can help minimize these