TOOTH OF THE MATTER

WHAT the state of your teeth reveals about your health. This week: Losing teeth after the menopause

WOMEN who lose teeth after the menopause could be at a higher risk of early death, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Scientists tracked 57,000 postmenopausal women for seven years and found those who had gum disease were 12 per cent more likely to die in the study period. After the menopause, levels of oestrogen drop, which is linked to gum disease. This can cause tooth loss, but may also have implications for heart health.

‘Oestrogen has a protective effect on the heart,’ says Glyn Thomas, a consultant cardiologist at the Bristol Heart Institute. ‘When a woman’s levels drop, she loses that. This may put her at a raised risk of tooth loss and heart attacks.’