What are the most common oral health problems in women?

 Aside from cavities, the most common oral health problems in women include periodontitis, which is a chronic and advanced disease of the periodontal supporting tissues in the mouth, gum sensitivity and swelling, gingivitis which is an inflammation of the gums, dry mouth, and canker sores. If you are a woman, you experience times in your life when your hormones fluctuate. This puts you more at risk for these oral health issues than men. These times in your life include puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.  And during each of these separate times whenhormonal levels rise and fall, oral health issues can begin or worsen.

The most important oral health problem in women is gum disease, putting them at risk of a host of other related systemic health problems, in addition to teeth loss often after child bearing. Old wives tales believed that the "baby robs the mother's calcium" leading to tooth loss and osteoporosis, and "a mother loses a tooth for each baby she has," have, instead, been proven to be more a function of periodontal (gum) health, as well as hormone and mineral balances. Pregnancy gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums during pregnancy, can lead to gum disease damage causing loss of bone support to the teeth if left untreated. Hormonal changes during menopause can also do the same.