teeth

Women’s Hormones and Oral Health 

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Women’s hormones affect a lot of things. Did you know that it also includes oral health? Yes, estrogen, progesterone, and even menopause affect your oral health, which is why here, we’ll talk about what can happen if you’re not careful. 

Puberty, Progesterone, and Gums 

Young girls may not notice the changes to their oral health, but puberty causes many physical changes. The biggest ones are estrogen and progesterone. This creates gum sensitivity and the possibility of germs creating problems. 

If not taken care of, such as through regular checkups, brushing twice daily and flossing once a day, it does lead to infection, redness of gums, bleeding and swelling, and may cause gingivitis. 

Menstruation and Oral health 

Every month women who are of childbearing age who aren’t pregnant deal with menstruation. We think about the cramps, bloating, and emotional effects. But there are hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle that create oral health changes. 

Sometimes canker sores, salivary glands being swollen, red gums that are swollen and bleeding gums all can happen right before a woman can get their period. Menstruation gingivitis, while rare, does happen right before one gets their period, and will clear up after. While temporary, this can lead to long-term problems if you’re not careful. 

Pregnancy and Gingivitis 

Pregnancy causes a lot of changes to a woman’s body. The biggest one is the immune response.   Sometimes, women’s immune systems go into overdrive, and can lead to sensitivity in many areas, including the gums. Pregnancy gingivitis is quite common, especially during the second and third trimester of pregnancy.   Getting regular cleaning and checking with your dentist on the same level as you would with the obstetrician and gynecologist during this phase of life is important.

Sometimes, gestational diabetes happens too, which can also negatively affect the gums and oral health. 

Menopause 

Menopause is when a woman stops producing her own estrogen. This is also when a woman stops getting her period as well. it can create changes in a woman’s oral health, especially due to the sudden drop of hormones. A changed taste, burning in he mouth, sensitivity to hot and cold, and even less saliva tends to happen to women during menopause. Definitely talk to your dentist if you have issues with your oral health, especially after this stage in life. 

Hormonal Birth Control Concerns 

Finally, there’s hormonal birth control. They do come with side effects, sometimes quite excessive. In some cases, it does lead to dry mouth for some female patients. The best thing to do is to talk to your dentist and if they notice this, get the help you need right away.

Take Charge of your Oral Health Today! 

As a woman, it’s vital to start taking care of your oral health the second that you realize there is a problem. Even when reading this, you should start to maintain your oral health.

Make sure to brush twice daily, but use a toothpaste containing fluoride.   Rinse and floss once a day, preferably with an alcohol-free mouthwash so it doesn’t dry out the mouth even more.

Try to go to the dentist twice a year for cleanings and exams. That way, if there is something going wrong, they can take care of it right then and there. 

Make sure you’re eating a diet that’s well-balanced, with plenty of fruits and vegetables.   Make sure you’re also eating foods that aren’t too sugary or starchy as well, as that will feed the bacteria. Try to drink as much water as you can too, in order to flush out that harmful bacteria that appears. 

Natural Remedies to Prevent Cavities 

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There are a lot of ways to prevent cavities. Eating well, drinking water, and the like.  Natural ways to prevent tooth decay is important, sometimes almost more important than the natural ways. 

Here are some natural remedies that will allow you to prevent those cavities. We’re going to explore food that you should eat, various herbal remedies worth looking at, and finally, actions you can take in order to prevent cavities. 

Foods for Cavity Prevention 

The first is foods that you have to prevent cavities. Now, because of this, we’re not saying they will automatically prevent this, but they strengthen your enamel in order to prevent further cavities in the future.   

The first is dairy. This is because of the calcium, which is used to strengthen bones and teeth. Very good for strengthening your enamel, and overall preventing tooth decay.

Leafy greens are another. Leafy greens contain B and D vitamins, which are good for prevention of tooth decay.

Nuts are a third one.  Nuts offer a lot of unique vitamins, proteins, and the like. It keeps you full too, so you’re not over here trying to eat something bad. Sugary foods are definitely something to avoid, since in a lot of cases, it can be something that will cause more decay.

Many people eat too much sugar. Sugar is the natural killer, and it’s why a lot of people are having tooth issues. This is because of their teeth, and not taking care of them.   but, when you eat right, you’ll be able to prevent this. 

Herbal remedies. 

Herbal remedies are another. The basis for this is that they do naturally fight bacteria. They are anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial, which is used to kill the bad bacteria, writing them in its place. These remedies are a little bit divided if they work, but they are something which, for many people, is a good way to fight cavities. 

Oil pulling 

Finally, there is oil pulling. This is where you take oil and swish it around in your mouth. While it might seem silly, this actually helps with tooth decay because it pulls all of the germs away from your mouth. When everything’s pulled it then gets rid of a lot of the decay.  You spit it out, and the oil then gets rid of those germs. 

Baking soda as well is used with this. Baking soda is also good for a lot of tooth decay preventative measures. This is because baking soda is abrasive, and is good for cleaning even the worst stains. Bear in mind that if you do use this, try not to overuse the item, because the abrasiveness will wear away the enamel that’s there. 

Overall, this is not the only way to prevent tooth decay, but it is a measure you can take, in order to improve your oral health. 

Complement, not Replace 

All of these natural remedies are complements for your oral health care routine. No, do not replace your oral care routine with this. 

You want to make sure that you still go to the dentist for check ups multiple times a year, and also brush your teeth every day, and floss your teeth as well. a healthy diet and regular oil pulling, however, can work to keep your teeth looking nice and shiny. Knowing this, you’ll be able to have the best oral health that you can, and in turn, make sure that you’ve got a bright smile that will last a long time! 

Pain in tooth Crowns 

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Dental professionals do need to put crowns on teeth that are decaying or damaged, and most of the time, it’s relatively painless.  However, there are some cases where if you add a tooth crown, it causes more sensitivity. For those with some level of sensitivity around teeth that are capped, you might want to know how to fix this, and the steps to improve this.  we’ve got your answers. 

What Crowns Are 

Crowns are basically a cap put over the tooth that’s decaying, damaged, or weak, in order to keep the size, shape, strength, and the appearance. They can last anywhere from five, up to 15 years, depending on the wearing of this, and how well you take care of them. 

Reasons for Crown Pain 

There are certain reasons for pain in the crown.

Some of them include the ones listed below. 

A nerve that’s traumatized or infected c and causes this.  This is because there might still be some nerve damage, even after the pulp of the tooth has been removed, and the pressure of the crown on this.  In this case, you might need to get a root canal and the removal of the crown.  They’ll get an access hole put in, do the root canal without having to replace this. While it’s complex, it saves money on the crowns as they can’t be used again once removed. 

Another reason is that you’re grinding your teeth. This is especially true if you grind at night, or if the teeth aren’t properly aligned.  The areas that are there on the teeth will start to rub together, and from there, you’ll experience some pain within the jaw muscles as well. sometimes, this long-lasting and occasional type of pain in the lower portions of the jaw and face. 

In order to prevent this, you’ll want to relax the jaw with a moist, warm washcloth prior to sleeping. Meditation can be used to reduce anxiety and stress, providing relief as well.

Mouth guards can also be another way to treat this.

If you’re still having trouble with grinding your teeth, then you’ll want to discuss this with your dentist.  Sometimes, biofeedback, which uses different sensors to look at the muscle contraction, can help you become aware of the clenching that you do with your teeth. You’ll be able to control your jaw tension and clenching as well through this. 

Finally, what you might also have been an issue with the crown. It might be damaged, and that would require you to replace this. 

What you should do 

You should definitely first and foremost take some over-the-counter medicine to help with the pain.  Cold and hot foods can also cause sensitivity in the teeth, so try to keep the foods mostly moderate in temperature. There are also mouth rinses and toothpaste made for teeth that are sensitive. They usually numb the endings of the nerves, which can help prior to getting a treatment and diagnosis. 

If you’ve got pain in the crown which continues to persist, you should see your dentist right away. the sooner the better, as they can look at the issue, and find it as quickly as they can.

Remember that the pain doesn’t normally go away just by waiting for it to. It’s better to go to the dentist, get the help that you need, so that you’re not in pain, and you’ve got something worth smiling about when it comes to your oral health and teeth.

Try it today and get the help you need to take care of your teeth better than before.