Menopause: helping women protect their oral health
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 18th September 2023
The menopause has long been familiar with women from all kinds of backgrounds – but only now is the menopause being recognised on a larger scale. Despite this, society still has a long way to go in terms of providing the right support for those experiencing the menopause. It can have a devastating impact on a women’s health and wellbeing – alongside the array of unwelcome symptoms, oral health can be impacted, too. As such, it’s vital that the dental team is well-equipped to provide support and guidance to menopausal patients.
The (un) expected change
The menopause is defined as the point where a woman stops having periods. Generally, this happens between the ages of 45 and 55, although instances of early menopause impact around 5% of women before the age of 45.[i]Premature menopause (or premature ovarian insufficiency) occurs before the age of 40, affecting 1% of women under 40 and 0.1% of women under 30.i
The perimenopause is a period of time whereby the body makes its transition to the menopause. Common symptoms include period irregularity (before they stop altogether), changes to mood and issues with memory and concentration.[ii] Physical symptoms are extensive, from hot flushes and headaches/migraines to reduced sex drive, vaginal dryness and weight gain.ii It’s unsurprising that those experiencing perimenopause and the menopause struggle in their daily life, especially at work – a recent survey found that 3 out of 5 (59%) working women (aged 45-55) going through the menopause say they have been negatively impacted by it at work.[iii]Around a third of the female UK population are currently peri- or menopausal.[iv]
Research postulates that black women experience menopause earlier than white women, and are more likely to experience symptoms such as hot flushes and depression.[v] Those experiencing financial difficulties are thought to struggle more severely with menopausal symptoms at work, compared to those in a more favourable financial position.[vi] Another study also highlighted that those from the least deprived areas are prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) more commonly than those from the most deprived areas.[vii] Although, according to The Menopause Charity, only 14% of women in the UK are on HRT.[viii]
The menopause and oral health
Alongside the common, debilitating symptoms of the menopause, sufferers are at risk of numerous oral complications, too. Hormonal changes, such as lower oestrogen production, can interfere with the oral cavity, making the individual more susceptible to plaque build-up and therefore gingivitis and periodontitis.[ix] ‘Burning mouth syndrome’ (BMS) is thought to be common among peri- and postmenopausal women. Symptoms include burning/stinging sensations (either on the tongue, lips, cheeks or roof of the mouth), dry mouth and an altered sense of taste.[x]
Primary osteoporosis has been associated with oestrogen deficiency; therefore research suggests postmenopausal women are more susceptible to this disease.[xi] This may then result in reduced alveolar bone.[xii]
The menopause is a significant life event, one that can have a drastic impact on most, if not all areas of a woman’s life. Alongside the uncomfortable and often incapacitating symptoms, oral health complications shouldn’t have to be added to the mix. Intervention from the dental team is paramount here to ensure peri-, post- and menopausal women are able to recognise the commonly-associated oral health issues, and protect their oral cavity accordingly. The dental team should be well-versed in the topic of the menopause and the common ramifications it can have on oral health. This way, they can recognise any related symptoms in their patients and tailor their care and guidance accordingly.
Patients should be encouraged to attend regular dental check-ups – doing so will enable the dental team to better monitor their menopausal patients and check for any common signs of oral complications. They can also recommend oral hygiene products that will help them maintain good oral health at home. This includes the Waterpik® Water Flosser, which is backed extensively by clinical research. This tool has been clinically proven to remove up to 99.9% of plaque,[xiii] and is twice as effective as string floss for reducing gingival bleeding.[xiv] As the world’s number 1 water flosser brand, you can rest assured that your patients are maintaining exceptional oral health at home.
Education and awareness
Menopause is a challenging time, yet only in recent years has awareness become more widespread. Oral health issues are a small part of the bigger picture, so providing support and guidance is crucial to maintain patients’ wider wellbeing. The dental team are instrumental in providing this care to menopausal patients.
For more information on Waterpik® Water Flosser products
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Gillian MacQueen Bio:
Qualified from Glasgow Dental Hospital in 1987 some would call me an ‘oldie’ however I would describe myself as a Dental Hygienist steeped in vast knowledge and experience.
Passionate about delivering the very best treatment to all of my patients I have taken many courses to keep me abreast of new technology.
Hypnosis, whitening, digital scanning and GBT are but a few that I use within practice.
Finding the best home products for my patients to use are so important. I find Waterpik waterflossers to be so beneficial for my patients as an adjunct to brushing. My patients love it and I see the results in clinic!
[i] www.nhsinform.scot. (n.d.). Early and premature menopause. [online] Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/early-and-premature-menopause [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[ii] NHS Choices (2019). Symptoms – Menopause. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/[Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[iii] CIPD. (n.d.). Majority of working women experiencing the menopause say it has a negative impact on them at work. [online] Available at: https://www.cipd.co.uk/about/media/press/menopause-at-work#gref [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[iv] www.engage.england.nhs.uk. (n.d.). Menopause in the workplace – NHS England – Citizen Space. [online] Available at: https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/safety-and-innovation/menopause-in-the-workplace/#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20there[Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[v] University of Michigan News. (2022). 25 years of research shows insidious effect of racism on Black women’s menopausal transition, health. [online] Available at: https://news.umich.edu/25-years-of-research-shows-insidious-effect-of-racism-on-black-womens-menopausal-transition-health/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[vi] D’Angelo, S., Bevilacqua, G., Hammond, J., Zaballa, E., Dennison, E.M. and Walker-Bone, K. (2022). Impact of Menopausal Symptoms on Work: Findings from Women in the Health and Employment after Fifty (HEAF) Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(1), p.295. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010295.
[vii] Hillman, S., Shantikumar, S., Ridha, A., Todkill, D. and Dale, J. (2020). Socioeconomic status and HRT prescribing: a study of practice-level data in England. British Journal of General Practice, [online] 70(700), pp.e772–e777. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7523922/#:~:text=This%20study%20has%20identified%20a,compared%20with%20the%20least%20deprived. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[viii] The Menopause Charity (n.d.). The Menopause Charity – Menopause Facts, Advice and Support. [online] The Menopause Charity. Available at: https://www.themenopausecharity.org/ [Accessed 29 Mar. 2023].
[ix] Dutt, P., Chaudhary, S. and Kumar, P. (2013). Oral Health and menopause: A comprehensive review on current knowledge and associated dental management. Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, [online] 3(3), p.320. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3793432/#:~:text=Oral%20discomfort%20is%20found%20in,burning%20mouth%20syndrome%20(BMS). [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[x] Ni Riordain, R., O’Dwyer, S. and McCreary, C. (2019). Burning mouth syndrome—a diagnostic dilemma. Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -), [online] 188(3), pp.731–734. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11845-018-01960-y [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[xi] Ji, M.-X. and Yu, Q. (2015). Primary osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Chronic Diseases and Translational Medicine, [online] 1(1), pp.9–13. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5643776/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[xii] Mahajan, K., Shenoy, N., Ramesh, A., Thomas, B. and Bhandary, R. (2011). Alveolar bone mass in pre- and postmenopausal women with serum calcium as a marker: A comparative study. Indian Journal of Dental Research, [online] 22(6), p.878. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22484895/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2023].
[xiii] Biofilm Removal with a Dental Water Jet
Gorur A, Lyle DM, Schaudinn C, Costerton JW. Compend Contin Ed Dent 2009; 30 (Suppl 1):1 – 6. [Accessed 11 May 2022 22]
[xiv] The Effect of Interdental Cleaning Devices on Plaque Biofilm and Gingival Bleeding
Rosema NAM et al. The effect of different interdental cleaning devices on gingival bleeding. J Int Acad Periodontol 2011; 13(1):2-10.
