By Anna Rushton – April 18, 2011 – from Bioidentical Oral Health
There’s a lot of attention paid now to the whiteness of our teeth and
how brilliant our smile is and frankly false teeth are not something
anyone willingly seeks out. The expertise and technology of dentistry
has improved hugely so that a full set of false teeth is less common
than it used to be but there is a new warning for women who want to
retain their own teeth throughout their life.
Image via Wikipedia
According to a new study from the Case Western Reserve University
School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic it appears that
brushing, flossing and two checkups a year may not be enough to prevent
tooth loss in postmenopausal women. The researchers found that two
groups of postmenopausal women – those taking bisphosphonates (for
osteoporosis) and those with normal bones – had abnormally high levels
of dental plaque, a film of bacteria, bacterial waste and food particles
that sticks to teeth.
All of these women had carried out the standard advice on taking care
of their teeth: brushing twice a day, flossing and having two dental
checkups a year. In fact, in my experience, that is more than the
average woman undertakes but it seems that even all of that was not
sufficient to keep plaque in check.
Because plaque sticks to teeth, it sets in motion the conditions that
cause gum disease. This in turn is a process that can erode the
sockets that anchor teeth and lead to tooth loss. There are some
sensible precautions that you can take to avoid losing your teeth at or
after the menopause,the first is never to finish a meal with any sweet
or sugary substance without cleaning your teeth immediately afterwards.
The recommendation is it you actually increase your checkups to at
least four a year and to make sure that they include deep periodontal
cleaning to control plaque. Then you can happily smile your way through
the menopause.
