Hormones and Oral Health

Health

By Dr Randhir Seewoodharry Buguth

Hormones are our body’s chemical messengers and the unsung heroes of our body. Our hormone network is like an orchestra, with each gland playing a vital role in maintaining harmony. Hormones travel in our bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many processes, including:

• Growth and development
• Metabolism — how our body gets energy from the food we eat
• Sexual reproduction
• Mood

Hormones And Oral Health. Pic – Dr Lisa Watson

Endocrine glands (special groups of cells) produce hormones. The major endocrine glands are the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. The liver produces hormones critical for growth and blood production, and the kidney maintains optimal blood pressure and red cell production through specific hormones as well. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women in their ovaries.

Hormones are powerful. It takes only a tiny amount to cause big changes in cells or even the whole body. Too little or too much can be detrimental to our health. Laboratory tests can measure hormone levels in our blood, urine, or saliva. A common example is a home pregnancy test, which looks for pregnancy hormones in the urine.

Type 1 diabetes, caused by a lack of insulin (hormone) production by the pancreas, can lead to numerous oral symptoms:

• Dry mouth
• Dental caries, including root decay
• Gum and bone diseases
• Oral candidiasis
• Burning mouth (especially the tongue)
• Altered taste
• Geographic, coated, or fissured tongue
• Oral lichen planus

The latter is a chronic mucosal condition that can turn malignant (cancer) especially in heavy smokers, regular drinkers of alcohol, and drug users.

Women may be more susceptible to oral health problems because of the unique hormonal changes they experience. Hormones affect not only the blood supply to the gum tissue but also the body’s response to the toxins resulting from plaque buildup. They are thus exposed to risks of periodontal diseases. Red, swollen, and bleeding gums can lead to mobile teeth if left untreated. This can also be accompanied by bad breath and tartar buildup, which need professional cleaning.

Women experience hormone fluctuations during puberty, the menstrual cycle, while using birth control pills, during pregnancy, and at menopause.

Adolescence may affect a girl’s self-esteem and body image, and maintaining good oral hygiene and dietary habits is essential. Orthodontic treatment may be needed during adolescence, and oral hygiene becomes more challenging with orthodontic appliances. Puberty puts oral health to the test for a nice smile with healthy teeth and gums, contributing to overall future well-being in adult life.

Seventy-five percent of pregnant women suffer from gum inflammation due to hormonal fluctuations. Regular tooth brushing with a small and soft toothbrush and interdental cleaning will minimize the symptoms. Neglecting oral health at this stage can lead to serious gum infections with tooth loss. Ninety-five percent of gum diseases are due to bacterial plaque accumulation and are thus preventable.

Neglecting oral health during pregnancy can lead to premature birth, low birth weight, and the onset of preeclampsia (a problem with blood circulation in the placenta).

Finally, menopause, with a lower level of estrogen in the blood circulation, increases the risks of osteoporosis. The bone density of the jaw weakens and can be an obstacle to teeth implants. Risks of peri-implantitis (gum inflammation around dental implants) increase, especially with reduced salivary flow. The defense mechanisms of the gums weaken as saliva has antibacterial properties.

It is worth noting that a defect in growth hormone (GH) can affect craniofacial structures. Growth hormone injections in affected children accelerate craniofacial development, improving jaw relationships, dental occlusion, and facial profile.

An interesting development is the Lumoral method, developed by Finnish researchers, which cleans teeth even more effectively than traditional brushing. The light-activated Lumoral treatment kills the Streptococcus mutans bacteria, responsible for tooth decay and gum diseases caused by plaque accumulation.

Tooth decay remains the most common disease in the world, and dental abscess infection is the sixth most common disease worldwide — both are easily preventable.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 2 May 2025