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What’s Different About Women’s Oral Health?

Live Life Smiling

womens-teeth
  • Holmes and Palmer Orthodontics
  • January 6, 2021

 

HEALTH CONCERNS CAN BE a lot different for women than for men, and that even includes dental health! Women face a different set of challenges than men do in caring for their teeth and gums, as well as having different advantages.

Which Oral Health Conditions Are More Common for Women?

Did you know that 90% of people diagnosed with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) are women? TMD is chronic pain or soreness in the joints of the jaw. It’s typically caused by bruxism (teeth grinding), but joint structure, stress, arthritis, vitamin deficiency, or hormones could also be responsible.

Another condition women are more likely to be affected by than men is Sjörgen’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body, particularly salivary glands and tear ducts, causing both dry mouth and dry eye. In addition to making chewing and swallowing difficult and uncomfortable and interfering with the sense of taste, dry mouth is dangerous to oral health.

Hormonal Changes Can Affect Teeth

Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause all come with major hormonal changes that can impact oral health. Gingivitis and gum inflammation are more common during puberty and pregnancy, which makes good daily dental health habits like brushing and flossing even more important under these conditions.

Menopause is associated with a higher incidence of dry mouth and bone loss in the jaw. This bone loss can compromise the gum tissue and the roots of teeth, which is why it’s important to discuss it with the dentist (preferably before any symptoms have even begun).

Eating Disorders Are a Serious Oral Health Problem

Women aren’t the only ones who struggle with eating disorders, but they are certainly twice as common among teenage girls as teenage boys. Eating disorders are incredibly dangerous and damage every system in the body, including teeth and gums. It’s a two-pronged attack on oral health: malnutrition weakens the oral tissues and the immune system while acid erosion (in the case of bulimia) destroys tooth enamel.

We encourage anyone struggling with an eating disorder to seek psychiatric help so that they can begin the mental recovery process. The dental health recovery process will likely require help in the form of a rigorous dental hygiene routine and professional attention from the dentist.

The Dentist Is the Expert on Women’s Oral Health

With all these risk factors women face in keeping their teeth and gums healthy, are there really any up-sides? Yes, actually, and it’s a big one. Women tend to be better than men at taking care of their teeth! Women are more likely to maintain good oral health habits, and they’re also better at keeping up with their regular dental exams and getting the dentist’s help when they experience tooth pain (as opposed to trying to tough it out), so even if they are more susceptible to certain problems, the impact is reduced!

We love working with our female patients!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our community with excellent care and take pride in our mission of having a patient-centered philosophy. Check out what our patients are saying about us!

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kristin W.
I will never go anywhere else for my children’s dental care! They never disappoint when it comes to professionalism and fun, no one in Huntington can compare. I would give them 10 stars out of 5 if I could.
kristin W.
I will never go anywhere else for my children’s dental care! They never disappoint when it comes to professionalism and fun, no one in Huntington can compare. I would give them 10 stars out of 5 if I could.
Christina S.
Very family friendly atmosphere! Fun office! Down to earth and kind staff! 10/10 recommend!
Christina S.
Very family friendly atmosphere! Fun office! Down to earth and kind staff! 10/10 recommend!
Kisha F.
Love the staff they are so kind and really good with my children! So kind and patient positive and polite! They answered all of our questions. My children love coming here!
Kisha F.
Love the staff they are so kind and really good with my children! So kind and patient positive and polite! They answered all of our questions. My children love coming here!
Christina A.
We love Holmes and Palmer Orthodontics! They are Great! The atmosphere is amazing the staff is always kind and welcoming!
Christina A.
We love Holmes and Palmer Orthodontics! They are Great! The atmosphere is amazing the staff is always kind and welcoming!
Cathy D.
Holmes and Palmer have been wonderful to deal with as we have entered this new world of braces. They have kept our daughter calm and comfortable, all while providing education to all of us brace beginners.
Cathy D.
Holmes and Palmer have been wonderful to deal with as we have entered this new world of braces. They have kept our daughter calm and comfortable, all while providing education to all of us brace beginners.
Arthur G.
This is one of the best orthodontist for kids I've ever seen, the staff is super friendly allways interacting will the kids. The place is exciting and they is a chance for kids to earn rewards for taking care of thier teeth. I love bringing Arthur here and my son Ash loves the decor
Arthur G.
This is one of the best orthodontist for kids I've ever seen, the staff is super friendly allways interacting will the kids. The place is exciting and they is a chance for kids to earn rewards for taking care of thier teeth. I love bringing Arthur here and my son Ash loves the decor
Paula L.
Super friendly staff! Very quick! And they really care about the patients. My son has really enjoyed going to Dr Holmes for his braces adventure
Paula L.
Super friendly staff! Very quick! And they really care about the patients. My son has really enjoyed going to Dr Holmes for his braces adventure
Tiese W.
I love this office! The staff is professional and very informative. Dr Holmes and Dr Palmer know how to take care of their patients. Thanks for the job well done!
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