Woman&Home Feel Good You

IN YOUR 50s…

Now’s the time to prepare for hormonal changes

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RISK TEETH AND GUMS ARE SUSCEPTIBL­E TO HORMONAL CHANGES. THE MENOPAUSE – IN PARTICULAR DECREASING LEVELS OF OESTROGEN – CAUSES THE ORAL MUCOSA TISSUE INSIDE YOUR MOUTH TO THIN. THIS LEADS TO A DRIER MOUTH, SO TEETH AND GUMS BECOME MORE SUSCEPTIBL­E TO PERIODONTA­L DISEASE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO INFLAMMATI­ON, PAIN, BLEEDING, AND EVENTUALLY LOOSE OR MISSING TEETH. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS IS THE BACTERIA IN PLAQUE AT OR UNDER THE G GUM MARGIN, WHICH CAN LEAD TO AN INCREASEDI­N RISK OF INFLAMMATI­ON. THERE’ST A PROVEN LINK BETWEEN PERIODONTA­LP DISEASE AND CARDIOVASU­CULARC DISEASE ANDA DIABETES – TOXINS FROMF YOUR GUM CAN TRAVEL INTOIN YOUR BLOOD, CAUSING INFLAMMATI­ONIN AROUND THE HEARTH AND PANCREAS. STUDIES ALSOA IMPLY A LINK BETWEEN PERIODONTA­L DISEASE AND ALZHEIMER’S, SO IT REALLY PAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR GUMS.

SOLUTION HYGIENE APPOINTMEN­TS AT LEAST EVERY SIX MONTHS ARE VITAL.

RISK A LESS COMMON SYMPTOM THAT COMES WITH MENOPAUSE AND AFFECTS ONE IN 20 WOMEN IS BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME (BMS); A PAIN IN THE MOUTH THAT FEELS LIKE SCALDING, TINGLING OR NUMBNESS AND ALTERED TASTE. SOME STUDIES HAVE FOUND POSSIBLE CAUSES ARE PROBLEMS IN THE SENSORY NERVOUS SYSTEM, ALLERGIES (FOR EXAMPLE TO MOUTHWASH), VITAMIN B DEFICIENCI­ES, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. SOLUTION YOUR DENTIST MAY REFER YOU TO THE GP OR A GUM SPECIALIST. TREATMENT IS USUALLY A LOW DOSE OF BENZODIAZE­PINES, FOR EXAMPLE VALIUM, WHICH CAN HELP WITH SYMPTOMS. COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURA­L THERAPY (CBT) HAS ALSO HAD POSITIVE RESULTS.

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