The effects of hormonal changes on your dental health - by Absolute Dental

In the week that saw the safe arrival of Maisie Sapphire (congratulations to our wonderful dental nurse Kelly and her husband Rod), it seemed appropriate that our 3rd blog in the Oral Health Month series call "The Four P's" should be about Pregnancy and other hormonal changes, and their effect on our dental health.

Hormonal changes such as Pregnancy, Menopause & HRT can have a huge effect on overall oral health. Every woman will go through at least one of these hormonal changes and it is therefore very important that a woman is aware of the effects they can have on her oral health so she can adapt her oral hygiene routine to prevent conditions such as periodontal disease & caries.


Research shows that gingivitis occurs in 75% of all pregnant women.

It occurs due to hormonal and circulation changes. Pregnancy often changes the body’s inflammatory response to plaque and other irritants, which lead to an increased chance of gingivitis. Changes in the gum health are normally most noticeable from the second month of pregnancy, reaching a maximum change in the eighth month stage of pregnancy, and are more common in front teeth than back teeth.

Although gum changes are the most common changes with pregnancy, there are a number of other less common changes that women may deal with:

• Hormonal changes can cause some women to produce either too much saliva or too little.

• Studies show that pregnant women are at higher risk of caries. Although hormones do not contribute directly to cavities, they do cause an increase in appetite and tend to snack more which leads to an increased chance of cavities.

• Morning sickness & repeated vomiting can cause acid erosion.

Menopausal changes can cause discomfort in the mouth, burning sensations, a change in taste and dryness. Dryness particularly can create a huge problem making the chance of cavities greater due to the lack of saliva neutralising the plaque. However 30% to 50% have no changes during this 5 to 10 year stage period of menopause.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) also causes a hormonal imbalance & can have an effect on the body’s inflammatory response. This means that the gums can be more sensitive and prone to inflaming if plaque removal is poor.

Therefore thorough, effective oral hygiene is a BIG must during these situations to maintain healthy teeth and gums!