A Common Menopause Symptom No One Is Talking About
Menopause is a time when hormones fluctuate wildly and cause a variety of physical symptoms. As women enter menopause, they may experience sudden changes that affect not only their bodies but their oral health as well, including one symptom that they may not immediately connect to menopause: dry mouth. Continue reading to learn more about the connection between menopause and dry mouth.
What is Dry Mouth?
When your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva, we call the resulting condition dry mouth. Saliva keeps your mouth moist and helps maintain the balance between helpful and harmful bacteria. Additionally, saliva contains substances that aid in protecting tooth enamel. Therefore, without the proper amount of saliva, your mouth is more prone to infection, tooth decay, and gum disease.
Dry Mouth and Menopause
During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen drops dramatically, causing a host of changes in the body. One such change is that the salivary glands start to produce less saliva. This happens because estrogen is partly responsible for regulating saliva production. Less estrogen means less saliva, which can result in persistent dry mouth.
Besides uncomfortable dryness, other symptoms of dry mouth include:
- Chapped or cracked lips, even with higher humidity
- Thirst that is not the result of exertion or lack of water
- A persistent sore throat
- Painful mouth and/or tongue
- Receding gums
- Tooth decay
How to Combat Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is very uncomfortable and can also lead to additional oral health problems, especially in menopause, when the body is less effective at fighting off minor infections. There are a few things you can do to prevent dry mouth from becoming a threat to your oral health in menopause:
- Stay hydrated – Drinking water is best, but any hydrating fluids are good. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine, which have a dehydrating effect.
Stop smoking – It is widely known that smoking is harmful to oral health. Therefore, it should be no surprise that smoking will also make dry mouth worse. - Stimulate saliva production – Chewing signals your brain to produce saliva. So, chewing gum or sucking on a breath mint, preferably sugarless, can help.
- Be aware of what you’re eating – Salty, acidic, and dry foods can contribute to dry mouth. Additionally, sugar is not your friend when you’re not producing enough saliva to wash it away.
- Breathe through your nose – When you breathe through your nose, the air that enters your lungs is humidified and filtered, which is better for your health in general and better for dry mouth.
- Read medication labels – Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and over-the-counter medications. Talk to your doctor about alternatives if you think your medication is causing dry mouth.
Dry mouth can happen to anyone, but women in menopause are especially susceptible. Visiting our office for regular cleanings and examinations is extremely important during this time. Not only can we answer your questions about any symptoms you may be experiencing, but we can also check for oral health problems, like cavities and gum disease.
If you are concerned about how menopause is affecting your oral health and live in Denton, MD or the surrounding area, call our office today. We would love to schedule an appointment for an examination.
