MEN AND WOMEN have a lot in common, but they face significantly different challenges when it comes to keeping their teeth and gums healthy.
Men’s Dental Health Issues
Here are some of the major dental health problems that affect men more than women:
- Being less likely to brush and floss regularly. Men are 20% less likely than women to brush twice a day, floss daily, and even replace old toothbrushes! They’re also less likely to go to the dentist for a regular preventative checkup. This is one reason it’s so important to cement good oral health habits at an early age, so parents of young boys take note!
- Because men are more likely to drink, smoke, and chew tobacco than women, they are at greater risk of advanced gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancer.
- Dry mouth can affect men more because it’s a common side-effect of high blood pressure and heart disease medications.
Women’s Dental Health Issues
Meanwhile, women have their own set of dental health challenges to face:
- TMD and Sjörgen’s syndrome both affect women more than men.
- Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause all involve hormonal changes that can make gingivitis and gum inflammation more likely.
- Eating disorders disproportionately affect women, and the resulting malnutrition damages every system in the body. Bulimia also directly damages the teeth through frequent exposure to stomach acid.