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It's official. Women and
men are NOT created dentally equal. Of course, good dental hygiene
habits are the same for all people,
regardless of gender. But growing evidence shows women may be significantly
more susceptible to serious health consequences unless they maintain
a tremendously vigilant home hygiene campaign against tooth decay
and gum disease. In fact, in every season of a woman's life, she's
wise to take special precautions with regard to her oral health:
during every monthly cycle, during pregnancy, and especially after
menopause.
First, monthly hormone fluctuations and the resulting increased
salivary proteins make women prone to bad breath just prior to
their monthly cycles. To combat this, women should brush more diligently,
floss more carefully, use a tongue scraper after each meal, and
use a chlorine-stabilized alcohol-free mouth rinse every 5 hours.
Pregnancy is another time for extra-vigilant dental hygiene, as
a mother's dental health impacts not only her own oral health but
the health of her child's developing teeth ---as early as six weeks
after conception. Further, the presence of periodontal disease
in women is closely linked to the incidence of osteoporosis, and
vice versa. To make matters worse, after 35 years of age, periodontal
disease in women is often a precursor to permanent tooth loss.
Why? Gum disease leads to gum detachment, which can lead to tooth
loss, which is linked to overall bone loss. Thus, in addition to
vigilant home hygiene, older women should be screened for osteoporosis
and simultaneously take the necessary precautions with their oral
health.
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