Women's gum what you need to know
Women's gums, throughout their lives, will show different aspects of hormonal changes, sometimes affecting their health.
From adolescence, the increase in estrogen and progesterone will influence the gum response; it is more sensitive to irritants, and there is a greater tendency to inflammation and bleeding. These hormones also produce changes in the composition of dental plaque. This situation is also reproduced during pregnancy and the taking of oral contraceptives.
During menopause, the gum can be paler, shinier, and drier since, in addition, there is a decrease in the secretion of the salivary glands. The appearance of diseases such as desquamative gingivitis, a condition that causes the gum to have a deep red color, sometimes accompanied by intense pain and desquamations, can also be promoted. In some cases, it is associated with more important diseases, such as lichens and pemphigus, so it is very important to make an early diagnosis.
Beware of white spots.
White spots on the gum are caused by the accumulation of dental plaque, canker sores, and fungal infections by candida. These fungal infections can be treated with drugs and antiseptics. But, equally, the presence of white spots can also suggest the existence of more important lessons, such as leukoplakia. It is important to visit your dentist for diagnosis and treatment of any changes in the color of your gums. The sooner it is evaluated and treated, the better.
Pregnancy and Gums
In general, the variation in hormone levels experienced at different stages and circumstances of life produces changes in the periodontal tissues. Pregnancy is the period in a woman's life when substantial changes occur in progesterone and estrogens, mostly at the end of the third trimester, reaching blood values 10 to 30 times higher than those detected during the normal menstrual cycle.
Pregnancy gingivitis does not differ in appearance from plaque gingivitis: it causes redness, loss of firmness, and bleeding. The main effect on the gum is increased gingival inflammation, although no greater bacterial plaque is observed.
It is very important before pregnancy to visit the dentist to check and evaluate your mouth. If there is periodontal health before pregnancy, the changes in the tissues will be minimal.
