If you’re a woman, you likely know that hormonal fluctuations can cause changes in your body. From breakouts to water retention, hormones can wreak havoc on your body, causing stress and discomfort. But did you know they can also wreak havoc on your oral health, too. It’s true. Hormones can cause a long list of oral health issues you may never have realized were hormone related in the first place.
Canker Sores
Wondering what causes those pesky canker sores that randomly appear in your mouth? While there can be many different causes for canker sores including stress, they can also be caused by hormonal fluctuations. Thankfully, though they might be uncomfortable, canker sores are harmless, but we agree, they’re still annoying!
Bleeding Gums
Sometimes when we brush, our gums bleed. This is common in patients with gingivitis or periodontitis (gum disease). It can also show up in pregnant women in the form of pregnancy gingivitis, which may go away after the end of the pregnancy. Pregnancy gingivitis can occur even if the woman takes excellent care of her teeth and gums. But you don’t need to be pregnant to get bleeding gums due to hormones. Monthly hormonal changes can cause bleeding gums, too.
Bone Deterioration
Bone deterioration in the teeth can be caused by a drop in hormones, which may occur with the onset of menopause. This bone deterioration can also cause gum recession, which can make it easier to develop gum disease, which in turn can cause gum tissue and tooth loss.
Altered Sense of Taste
There is a little known condition called dysgeusia that may occur during hormonal fluctuation or pregnancy. This condition changes your sense of taste, leaving not just a bad taste in your mouth, but making food taste different and often unappetizing. Dysgeusia often leaves a metallic taste in the mouth, but that taste can vary depending on the individual.
What to do
While there may not be a solution to hormonal fluctuations affecting your oral health, the best thing you can do for yourself is to take excellent care of your oral hygiene all the time. Symptoms should clear up on their own as hormones regulate themselves, but if you find yourself suffering from any of these symptoms for a prolonged period of time, speak to Dr. Mingus about your oral health.