IN YOUR 50s…
Now’s the time to prepare for hormonal changes
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.