Ask the dentist: Does gender play a role in oral health?
Monthly column by Dr. Derek Baram, Specialist Orthodontist, Director of Central Smile, and Founder of Braces & Faces
Does gender play a role in oral health and perceived need for treatment?
Studies show that women generally have better oral care practices than men and are more likely to visit the dentist than men. Women also generally consider healthy teeth to be more important than men both in younger and older groups.
Women perceive oral health as impacting their quality of life, mood and appearance more so than men. In other words, poor oral health or appearance affects women psychosocially more so than men.
Paradoxically, women generally have a higher rate of cavities. It has been suggested that tooth eruption ages, salivary composition and flow, hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, diet and social roles among the family play a role.
Sadly, in poorer sections of society, there is a higher percentage of women having low socioeconomic status, widowed, economically dependent and lower level of literacy, which can contribute to a greater difficulty in understanding and accessing dental care. Studies also suggest more women are single parents subject to the stress of caregiving and at an economic disadvantage, compounded by higher prevalence of eating disorders.
How does pregnancy affect oral health?
Immunosuppression, cravings, hormonal fluctuations, salivary alteration and other physiological changes have been hypothesised to lead to a higher incidence of cavities.
Hormonal fluctuations, particularly oestrogen, during pregnancy, menstruation and puberty can lead to significant changes in the oral environment, such as reduced salivary flow and buffering capacity.
