West Maitland Dentistry Blog

Did you know hormones play a key part in the health of our mouth?  For many women, this means that it’s important for us to make sure we are paying extra attention to our mouth during these times when our hormones are fluctuating.

During puberty, menstrual cycles, pregnancy or with certain types of birth control, the hormones in women increase.  This increase in hormones leads to more blood flow into blood vessels in the gums which can cause more inflammation. This increased inflammation means a greater risk of gum disease.  The opposite is true for your hormone levels during menopause.  Although hormones decrease, there is still an impact on your mouth.

Birth Control and Menstrual Cycle Hormones Effects on Oral Health

Certain birth controls can affect wound healing after extracting teeth so be sure to let your dentist know if you are on birth control and what type.

For some women on their period, the increase in hormones leads to more canker sores, small ulcers, forming in their mouths.

Pregnancy Hormones Effects on Oral Health

A large population of pregnant women will experience bleeding gums due to their change in hormones during pregnancy.  This is often referred to as pregnancy gingivitis.  Some studies say 75% of pregnant women notice bleeding gums while pregnant and as many as 2 in 5 pregnant women have severe gum disease.  Another issue seen in pregnancy is wearing down of tooth enamel. The fluctuating hormones often lead to morning sickness which can lead to vomiting.  All that acid you throw up can start to erode tooth enamel (the hard, protective layer of your tooth).  A way to prevent this erosion is by not brushing your teeth immediately after throwing up. Instead, rinse your mouth out with 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a cup of water.  Wait 30 minutes then brush your teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste.  

Menopausal Hormonal Effects on Oral Health

When hormones start decreasing, women can experience pain in their mouth.  This pain or burning sensation is called burning mouth syndrome.  This is described as burning, hot, tingling or a numb sensation and can be found anywhere in the mouth in either one or several locations.  The most common locations are the tip and front two-thirds of the tongue.  Even though we don’t know the cause there are different treatment options that can help, like different medications and even cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Another common condition caused by low hormones is dry mouth.  Dry mouth can cause sore and sensitive gums, ulcers, infections, and lead to chronic cavities.  Drinking plenty of water can help as an over the counter mouth rinses, gels, and toothpastes made for a dry mouth like Biotene.  Also, sugar-free gum and mints can help stimulate the saliva glands.

Knowing these changes occur can aid in the prevention of gum disease and cavities. Be sure to take extra time to brush, floss or see your dentist if you notice any changes in your gums during these times in your life.

Bad breath, medically known as halitosis, is a common and often embarrassing problem for most adults. The American Dental Association reported that some studies showed that almost 50% of adults experience it at some point in their life! While most cases of bad breath are easy to fix, sometimes the culprit behind the problem can be cause for alarm. We’re going to go over some of the most common explanations for bad breath and what you can do to stop it.

Common Causes

Poor Oral Hygiene.  Poor oral hygiene is one of the most common causes of bad breath. Food particles find their way in between teeth and onto the tongue. Lack of or improper flossing and brushing can leave these particles behind to start building up an unpleasant smelling plaque. When this plaque starts hardening, an inflammation process starts the beginning stages of periodontal disease. This makes the smell worsen more.

Infections in your mouth.  Dental infections as a result of tooth decay, abscesses, or sores from dentures can cause odors.

Tobacco.  Smokeless tobacco and cigarettes are a very common origin of bad breath and negatively can accelerate the progression of periodontal disease.

Dry Mouth. Decreased saliva production oftentimes leads to halitosis. Dry conditions in the mouth mean less plaque and food debris is rinsed away. Several factors cause dry mouth such as medications, alcohol use, and certain health conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome, diabetes or HIV/AIDS.

Food. Coffee, spicy foods or foods with strong smells are digested and generally emit strong odors.

Metabolic Disorders or Diets. Diets where fats are broken down often result in the release of large amounts of strong-smelling chemicals called ketones. These diets are usually low in carbs and high in fats. Metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, sometimes produce these strong-smelling ketones, especially if diabetes or disorder is uncontrolled.

Diseases and Disorders.  Both chronic reflux (GERD) and postnasal drip are examples of disorders where fluids release from parts of your body and flow into your oral cavity. These fluids are both unpleasant smelling and foul-tasting.

Mouth, Throat and Nose conditions.  We already discussed infections in mouth as being a source but infections of the throat and nose can also produce a stench. Foreign particle lodgment produces bad breath, examples are food lodged in the tonsils and foreign particles in the nose, often seen in small children.

Prevention and Remedies

Better oral hygiene.  Regular brushing, flossing and dental cleanings will dislodge food particles and prevent that smelly plaque from accumulating. Using a tongue scraper aids in removing plaque from your tongue better than the toothbrush alone. Try adding a bacteria-killing mouth rinse to your regimen as well. For tips on how to have better oral hygiene check out our early blog post!

See your dentist.  Visit your dentist regularly so he or she can catch problems when they start early. Catching problems early mean less of a chance of having an unresolved infection or periodontal disease.  If you believe you already have either of these discuss treatment with your dentist for not only curing your bad breath but improving your health as well.

Stop smoking tobacco or using smokeless tobacco.  Not only will this add years to your life but make your breath much more minty clean.

Increase your daily water intake.  Hydration is key when trying to lessen the effects of dry mouth. Drinking more water also aids in rinsing off that plaque and food debris that likes to stick around your mouth.

Decrease Dry Mouth.  Chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free melts or lozenges stimulates your saliva glands into producing more saliva. Also, the use of lubricating mouth rinses and gels are helpful to coat the mouth and lessen the effects of dry mouth.

Alter your diet.  Avoid spicy foods or those with strong odors that can either cause lingering odors in your mouth or tend to cause digestion issues such as reflux. Limiting your alcohol consumption will help keep your mouth hydrated to avoid that bad breath.

Consult your medical doctor or an ENT doctor.  If you believe the cause of your bad breath is from foreign particles lodging in your tonsils/nose/throat, GERD, chronic infections, postnasal drip or a metabolic disorder than consult a medical doctor to treat not only the bad breath but the more concerning underlying issue.

Schedule your appointment today for a cleaning and make sure you keep bad breath away!