Abstract
Oral health awareness during the menopausal period is essential to minimize the inevitable inconveniences which may occur due to hormonal changes. The decrease in estrogen hormone concentration impacts the oral mucosa in a similar way to the vaginal mucosa due to the presence of estrogen receptors in both of these structures. An estrogen deficiency also affects the maturation process of the oral mucosal epithelium and can lead to its thinning and atrophy, making it more susceptible to local mechanical injuries, causing a change in pain tolerance and problems in the use of removable prosthetic restorations. Mucosal epithelium during the menopausal period is more vulnerable to infections, candidiasis, burning mouth syndrome, oral lichen planus (OLP), or idiopathic neuropathy. Moreover, salivary glands are also hormone-dependent which leads to changes in saliva secretion and its consistency. In consequence, it may affect teeth and periodontal tissues, resulting in an increased risk of caries and periodontal disease in menopausal women. Due to the large variety of complaints and symptoms occurring in the oral cavity, menopausal women constitute a significant group of patients who should receive special preventive and therapeutic care from doctors and dentists in this particular period.
Highlights
Menopause is an inevitable condition that is part of every woman’s life
Due to the fact that both depression and periodontitis are chronic in nature, further research in this field should be carried out to assess their patterns of progression and mutual correlations during menopause
Menopause is an inevitable period in every woman’s life, it is often neglected by healthcare providers
Summary
Menopause is an inevitable condition that is part of every woman’s life. Most of them spend a third of their lives in this particular state after their reproductive years have ended. Our review presents a number of the most frequently occurred changes in the oral cavity in menopausal women observed in our own study, with particular emphasis on the physicochemical and component changes in saliva, which, as a connecting medium of extraordinary importance for oral health, in the long-term perspective, may affect various structures of the oral cavity, inducing certain pathological changes directly or indirectly. It draws attention to an important dimension of changes in the mental sphere of women in this period, which can translate into changes occurring in the oral cavity and the intensity of perceived ailments It provides a number of general prophylactic and therapeutic recommendations for women that can help them avoid or overcome persistent oral discomfort often experienced during this particular period of their life
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