International Women’s Day: A Focus On Women’s Detal Health at Smilex

Every year on March 8 we celebrate International Women’s Day. Although it’s mostly known for celebrating and raising awareness for women’s economic, political and social achievements, we think International Women’s Day is also an important time to shine a spotlight on women’s oral health.

Unlike in the past, women are no longer confined to the four walls of their homes. They are marching out of their homes and showing us the real meaning of multitasking and excellence. Be it sports, corporate matters, politics, technology, you name it, and you’d find women calling the shots.

And this brings us to March – the month when we celebrate women! The 8th of March is celebrated as International Women’s Day – a day when you celebrate women, you celebrate sisterhood, you celebrate you!

The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BeBoldForChange”, which is a call for women to demonstrate and inspire change in their everyday life. Women have unique oral health needs in different stages of their life and it’s incredibly important that we change bad oral hygiene habits and understand how these habits can affect women in later stages of life.

A woman’s oral health is essential for her overall systemic health. Certain diseases like heart disease and respiratory stroke disorders are all related to gum diseases, mainly because of the bacteria present that can be transported across the bloodstream.  As compared to men, women’s oral health is affected in several stages of life, such as puberty, mensuration, and pregnancy. Various teeth problems arise with factors like the oral contraceptive pill and menopausal stage also make women more prone to dental diseases. The surge in hormones like progesterone and estrogen, during pregnancy, causes more blood to flow to the gums, which causes them to become more sensitive. These fluctuations have a significant impact on a woman’s oral health, specifically her gums.

Moreover, women are at a greater risk for dental issues than men due to their cariogenic oral environment and frequent snacking during childhood expectations. Additionally, genetics play a vital role in determining the enamel structure, and the enamel structure explains how likely you are to undergo tooth decay. Deficiency in hormone levels may disrupt the enamel matrix formation, which increases the risk of root caries and gingival recession. If you want to improve your oral health and learn more about how different stages in women’s life can affect their oral health, and how to take care of your dental health

A healthy mind only resides in a healthy body. So, this year, why don’t you do something a little different? How about dental care? Teeth are pretty important, right? They not only help you with eating but also with speaking. They are a huge factor when it comes to your aesthetic appearance also. And naturally, they make contributing factor towards your confidence and self-esteem as well.

Why do women need to be attentive towards their oral health?

Women are always the compass of a family. Women bring their children, husbands, and parents to the dental clinic. But more often than not when they are asked if they want a check-up, they reply with a smile, “Not for me. Thanks. I am good.” But that needs to change. You need to take care of yourself to set a living example to your loved ones who you care for. In fact, being a woman demands extra dental care, thanks to the various kinds of hormonal changes.

Gum Issues

Women are bombarded with hormonal changes throughout their lifetime – sometimes due to menstruation; then you also have pregnancy and menopause. These changes take a toll on your gum health. Various gum problem in teeth arises such as your gums will feel swollen, sometimes irritated, sometimes dry and retracted. This makes your gums more vulnerable to gum diseases and recession. The best way to deal with it is to keep away plaque as far as possible. And the only way to do that is to maintain regular dental hygiene and biannual professional cleaning.

Teeth Issues

It’s not news that women are more vulnerable to bone degeneration and other bone-weakening issues. Teeth and jaws consist of bone and hence require special attention in women. Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis don’t just affect the big knee or hip bones. They can also make you lose bone density in your jaws, gums and teeth leading to tooth loss.

During pregnancy teeth, pain is also common due to changes in pain threshold levels because pregnancy causes changes in hormonal level

It’s just not after menopause that the weakening sets in. It is advisable that to keep your teeth strong and healthy, you start taking dental health supplements as soon as you hit 30 years.

Other Issues

High blood pressure, and blood sugar is also related to dental health issues. The most relatable issues will be bad breath and cavities. Many dental issues can be avoided if you have properly aligned teeth without gaps or overcrowding. You can fix your misaligned teeth with braces. Don’t worry as With Invisalign, there is now no age limit to who can get braces.

AT SMILEX INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CENTRE OUR EXPERT BEST ORTHODONTIST IN PUNE DR SONALI DESHMUKH can make your teeth and gums both healthy and pretty. You can get teeth scaling done; you can go for teeth whitening and even teeth straightening. Oh, and don’t worry about those ugly-looking braces – Dr Sonali our Invisalign expert offers you Invisaligns for subtle teeth straightening which is virtually invisible.

You could also get treated for more serious stuff like jaw correction, broken or chipped tooth correction, Root Canal, dental implant, by best implantologist in Pune DR VIJAY DESHMUKH and even oral cancer (not that you have it, but it’s always wise to get checked occasionally).

One more Smilex orthodontist DR SONALI DESHMUKH speciality is Accelerated Orthodontics where you do not have to wait prolonged periods to get your desired results. With modern tools and updated technology, dental care SMILEX takes minimal time.

Book An Appointment at SMILEX INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CENTRE. Sit back in the dental chair, and relax. Reflect on all that you did to make yourself a proud woman. Don’t worry about your teeth.

How does a woman’s oral health change throughout her life?

Although on average, women visit the dentist more often than men, women are more likely to experience sudden spikes in oral health issues. As only women experience more concentrated changes in their hormones, especially during pregnancy and menopause, there are a number of oral health issues which may surface at different stages of a woman’s life.

Menstruation

Many women are surprised to find out that menstruation can have a big effect on their oral health. Some women find that their gums swell and bleed prior to their period, while some may experience cold sores and mouth ulcers. Thankfully these symptoms generally disappear once your period starts; however, it’s important to understand how these can be managed. Paying extra attention to brushing and flossing the week before your period can help to deter gum disease. Due to the hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle, some women experience oral changes and hygiene issues, including bright red swollen gums, swollen salivary glands, development of canker sores, or bleeding gum. An increase in hormonal levels during puberty can also be a cause of bleeding and sour gums that make them more weak and sensitive to bacteria and plaque, which can lead to gingivitis. Regular flossing, brushing, and frequent visits to the dentist can help prevent bacterial infections and oral diseases in their mouth.

Oral contraceptives

Oral contraceptive pills can be taken for a number of reasons and will often have an effect on the levels of oestrogen in your body. As your gums have a large number of oestrogen receptors, they become prone to inflammation and sensitivity.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a wonderful stage in a woman’s life and one may go through various unexpected symptoms during pregnancy- dental problems being one of them. Although not every woman experiences pregnancy, it can have a huge effect on her oral health.  Pregnant women are more likely to develop gingivitis due to pregnancy hormones affecting the way the gums react to plaque. This can then lead to periodontitis, which can cause loss of tissue and bone which holds the teeth firm. During pregnancy you can minimize your risks of oral health issues by brushing at least twice a day, maintaining a healthy diet, and ensuring you rinse your mouth with water if you’re unlucky enough to experience vomiting from morning sickness. It’s best to keep up your regular dental checkups during this time too  During certain stages in pregnancy, women may experience cold sores, gingival bleeding, gum irritation and mouth ulcers. Most women often get scared of these symptoms and mistake them for serious dental diseases. While it is essential to maintain dental health during these times due to the extra sensitivity in the gums, it is crucial to know that experiencing dental problems during pregnancy is normal. It is essential for expectant mothers to take good care of their teeth and gums and make frequent visits to the dentist to maintain their dental hygiene and take care of themselves and the baby.

Menopause

Menopause is a stage in women’s life that causes biological and endocrine changes that occur due to a decline in estrogen levels that causes risk of bone loss, osteoporosis and inflammation of the tissues. During this time, women undergo numerous oral changes such as a burning sensation, decreased salivary flow, altered taste and greater sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages, which negatively affect dental health. Women during this time experience dry mouth, sour and sensitive gums and taste sensations that can cause tooth decay and gum diseases as the saliva doesn’t moist the mouth by neutralizing acids produced by plaque. It is important for women during menopause to maintain their dental health by brushing, flossing, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly and frequently visiting the dentist which helps them prevent the risk of tooth loss and oral disease in their mouth.

How we can help

Regular dental check-ups with the team at SMILEX INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CENTRE  are the best way to maintain your oral health. A 20-minute visit every 6 months is all it takes and booking appointments is easy. To book an appointment, contact the Smilex team

Let’s look at some preventive measures and tips for keeping your teeth and gums healthy across different stages of your life.