As a child, during puberty and as a woman, changes occur in the body.
Hormonal Fluctuations
Hormonal changes can affect the blood supply to the gums, and the response to irritation from plaque may be excessive. It is the plaque, not fluctuating hormone levels, that is the leading cause of periodontitis in women.
Chronic gingivitis
Is often seen in adolescents due to improper oral hygiene.
Local Aggressive Periodontitis
Can affect young healthy people and is seen mainly on first molars (back teeth) and incisors (front teeth). The bone loss can be rapid and is characterized by very small amount of dental plaque or calculus.
Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis
This is like the aggressive form, but involves the entire mouth and has heavy accumulation of plaque and calculus with inflamed gums and possible tooth loss.
Periodontitis associated with systemic diseases include
Type 1 diabetes, Down’s syndrome and Papillon-Lefevre syndrome.
Orthodontics
Can cause difficulty in performing optimal hygiene around brackets.
Talk to Dr. Hoffmeyer about an oral water cleaner.
Medications and Mouth breathing
Can cause dry mouth and swollen gums.
Teeth grinding
Can increase the risk of developing periodontal disease, can cause cracked or chipped teeth. A custom-fitted mouth guard can protect the teeth at night.
Saliva
Research suggests that periodontal disease can pass through saliva. Perhaps the contact between family members could put children and couples at risk of getting periodontitis from another family member.
Remember early diagnosis ensures greater chance for successful treatment.
Children
A child should visit the dentist when the first tooth erupts. Regular check-ups will monitor oral hygiene, emphasize preventive care and establish confidence in the dental care environment. This is a gift for a child and for young people to achieve a healthy smile, confidence and self-esteem. Help your child to achieve clean teeth and gums. Use a soft toothbrush and floss to establish the habit at a young age. Check your baby’s mouth for signs of bleeding, swelling, redness, recession (gums receding) and bad breath. Reward your child’s good oral hygiene habits with “a visit from the tooth fairy”.
Women
Women may be more prone to periodontitis and gum disease, due to their hormones and treatment with these.
Puberty
The level of sex hormones increases, thereby increasing the blood supply to the gums. This can cause irritation. Even if you do not have control over the hormones, the symptoms can be reduced by good oral hygiene.
Menstruation
Sometimes a few women will experience “menstrual gingivitis” (gingivitis). This is experienced as bleeding, bright red swelling of the gums between the teeth or soreness on the inside of the cheek. It typically occurs just before menstruation and stops as soon as menstruation starts. As the sex hormones decrease with age, the symptoms will decrease.
Birth Control Pills – Oral contraceptives
These synthetic hormones increase the level of progesterone in your system and may cause the gums to swell and bleed.
Infertility treatment
Researchers have found that women undergoing infertility treatment who are exposed to induced ovulation for more than 3 menstrual cycles had higher levels of gingivitis and bleeding. More studies are needed to determine whether periodontal health affects the infertility treatment.