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As women go through different stages in life, their hormone levels change, potentially impacting oral health. Understanding how this affects dental health will help you enjoy a healthy, attractive smile, no matter your age. These changes occur during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.

Menstruation

During menstruation, changes in hormonal levels can increase the sensitivity of the gums to plaque bacteria. Consequently, you may notice your gums bleed more easily at this time, and they could feel a bit more tender. Another potential side effect is experiencing more mouth ulcers and cold sores in the days immediately before your period starts.

We very much hope you look after your oral health year-round, but it can be useful to pay extra attention to your dental care during your period, especially if you notice your gums are a bit more sensitive or that they are prone to bleeding slightly. Also, it can feel more comfortable to schedule your checkups and cleans outside of your period.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be an amazing and exciting time, but the changes in hormonal levels can be significant as your body accommodates your growing baby. Most women try to eat healthily during this time, but did you know pregnancy can affect your dental health? The increase in hormonal levels can cause pregnancy gingivitis, where your gums begin to bleed more easily due to increased sensitivity to plaque bacteria. Pregnancy gingivitis will clear up once your baby is born, but we might suggest more frequent dental cleanings while you are pregnant. Removing plaque and tartar buildup can help manage pregnancy gingivitis more effectively so you can continue to enjoy a healthy smile.

Morning sickness is another common side effect, and if you are afflicted, rinse your mouth immediately afterwards but wait at least half an hour before brushing your teeth. Vomiting exposes your teeth to strong stomach acid that weakens your tooth enamel. Waiting a while gives it time to re-harden, reducing the impact on your dental health.

Please don’t forget to come and see us regularly during your pregnancy. There is no need to be concerned as regular preventive dental care during pregnancy is perfectly okay, and it’s much safer for you both to have any dental problems treated. We take extra special care of our pregnant patients, making sure any treatment we provide is safe for you both.

Menopause

When menopause rolls around, most women are looking forward to an end to menstruation, but going through the change may affect oral health. As hormonal levels decline and become more erratic, it can increase the risk of gum disease and other issues like dry mouth, where your body cannot produce enough saliva to keep the mouth clean, fresh and comfortable. We have plenty of dental strategies to help you sail through menopause with a smile and with the right care, there is no need for it to negatively affect your oral health.

Customised Dental Care

We customise our preventive dental care plans for every patient, ensuring we factor in your unique oral health needs so you enjoy optimal oral health and healthy teeth for life.

Your teeth are meant to last you for life, but they can only do so if you look after them properly. Unfortunately, poor oral and lifestyle habits can all take their toll on your pearly whites. We have taken a closer look at these oral habits and how they impact your dental health, and how to overcome these effects.

Eating and Drinking

The foods and drinks you consume can significantly affect your dental health, and one of the worst culprits is sugar. Whenever you eat or drink anything sugary, the excess sugars are utilised by decay-causing bacteria found in dental plaque. Dental plaque is a sticky biofilm coating your teeth and builds up over your tooth surfaces between regular brushing and flossing.

The bacteria in plaque use leftover sugar for energy, excreting a weak acid as a byproduct. The acid removes essential minerals from tooth enamel, and repeated exposure to these acids eventually weakens enamel to such an extent that cavities form.

There are some simple steps you can take to reduce the impact of sugar. The first is to brush your teeth at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste. Spit out the excess paste after brushing but don’t rinse your mouth as a thin layer of fluoride ions will remain to coat your teeth providing a little more protection.

Make sure you clean between your teeth at least once a day using dental floss or another tool like interdental brushes, soft picks, or a water flosser. If you aren’t sure about flossing, ask us for help and practical advice.

Last but not least, try to limit your sugar consumption to less than six teaspoons per day, which is the recommended amount for an adult, and when you have something sugary, consume it as part of your main meal and try to avoid snacking. The more frequently you snack on sugary foods, the more often your teeth are exposed to those weak acids.

Drink Water, Not Soft Drinks

Many of us don’t drink enough water, but it’s an excellent beverage for your teeth, and it’s sugar-free. Much of the water supply in Australia already contains fluoride, and drinking fluoridated water every day is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to prevent tooth decay.

In comparison, soft drinks are often packed with sugar. These include sports drinks and energy drinks. On average, a 600 mL bottle contains around 16 teaspoons of sugar. Fruit juice is no better, and if you read the nutritional label of a juice carton, you may be shocked to discover its sugar content. These sugary drinks provide very little or no nutrition and greatly increase your risk of tooth decay and developing other health problems like type II diabetes. Swapping to sugar-free drinks isn’t a good solution as these drinks often contain acid to make them tastier. Any food or drink containing acid will automatically attack your tooth enamel, eventually eroding it and causing cavities.

Clenching and grinding is a habit called bruxism. It is a tremendously destructive habit that can wear down your teeth, cause gum recession and affect your jaw joints. Luckily, when you visit our dental practice, we can easily diagnose the signs of bruxism and provide suitable treatment.

What Is Bruxism?

If you have bruxism, you will clench and grind your teeth subconsciously. Although this habit can occur while you are awake, it most often happens during sleep. Most people will grind their teeth occasionally, which won’t cause any lasting damage, but if you begin to clench and grind your teeth more frequently, it’s important to seek proper treatment.

What Causes Bruxism?

Bruxism is often linked to other sleep disorders like sleep apnoea and insomnia. It can manifest during periods of high stress or when someone feels anxious or depressed. Other factors that can cause bruxism include occlusal problems, where your teeth don’t bite together properly. When you have an improper bite, it can make you more likely to clench and grind your teeth. Bruxism may also be due to acid reflux and has even been linked to excessive consumption of caffeine.

What Are the Signs of Bruxism?

Because bruxism often occurs during sleep, people are frequently unaware they have this habit. They may be alerted to the problem by sleeping partners because, as you can imagine, teeth grinding can become pretty noisy.

Potential signs of bruxism include waking up with a headache or jaw pain, or painful teeth. You may notice your jaw joints make a clicking or popping sound when you open your mouth, and it could be painful to move your jaw or perform everyday actions like chewing food. You might find your teeth become more sensitive to hot and cold, and this is because bruxism wears away the protective layer of tooth enamel so the sensations can more easily penetrate the teeth and reach the tooth nerve. If you look at your teeth, they may appear worn, chipped or cracked. In severe cases of bruxism, teeth may be so damaged that they become loose.

Diagnosing and Treating Bruxism

If any of these signs sound familiar, please book a consultation with our dentist. We can soon diagnose signs of bruxism and discuss suitable ways to treat this problem. One of the easiest treatments is to provide you with a custom-made nightguard. The nightguard will fit over your teeth, usually your upper teeth, so your lower teeth grind harmlessly against the guard. Wearing a nightguard can be enough to break the habit of bruxism.

Other possible treatments include restorative dentistry to mend teeth damaged by bruxism. We will also want to check your bite to make sure your teeth bite or occlude correctly, and if necessary, we can make adjustments so they bite together more smoothly.

Self-help treatments can also be useful, so try to reduce your stress levels and avoid consuming too much caffeine before bedtime. Make sure you have a regular bedtime routine, limiting your screen time before sleeping, so you feel more relaxed.