Abstract
Women have unique health needs. Hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life have significant affect on many organs and tissues of the body including the oral cavity. Studies have shown that while women tend to take better care of their mouth than men do, their oral health is not significantly better than that of men. There are certain oral diseases and conditions that are unique to, more prevalent; have distinct causes and manifestations; have different outcomes and require different interventions in women when compared to the men. Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause influence a woman’s health at different stages of life. Thus, women have special oral health needs and considerations. Understanding these special needs is very important for the healthcare provider in order to implement targeted preventive and therapeutic measures to better not only women’s oral health, but their overall health and well-being as well.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
U.S. Public Health Service (1985) Report on the Public Health Service Task Force on women’s health issues. Public Health Rep 100:73–106
Amar S, Chung KM (1994) Influence of hormonal variation on the periodontium in women. Periodontology 2000 6:79–87
Baser U, Cekici A, Tanrikulu-Kucuk S, Kantarci A, Ademoglu E, Yalcin F (2009) Gingival inflammation and interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor –alpha levels in gingival crevicular fluid during the menstrual cycle. J Periodontol 80(12):1983–1990
Lie MA, van der Weijden GA, Timmerman MF, Loos BG, van Steenbergen TJ, van der Velden U (2001) Occurrence of Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens in relation to gingivitis and gingival health. J Clin Periodontol 28(2):189–193
Nakagawa S, Fujii H, Machida Y, Okuda K (1994) A longitudinal study from prepuberty to puberty of gingivitis. Correlation between the occurrence of Prevotella intermedia and sex hormones. J Clin Periodontol 21(10):658–665
Jeffcoat MK, Hauth JC, Geurs NC, Reddy MS, Cliver SP, Hodgkins PM, Goldenberg RL (2003) Periodontal disease and preterm birth: results of a pilot intervention study. J Periodontol 74:1214–1218
Michalowicz BS, Hodges JS, Novak MJ, Buchanan W, DiAngelis AJ, Papapanou PN, Mitchell DA, Ferguson JE, Lupo VR, Bofill J, Matseoane S (2009) Change in periodontitis during pregnancy and the risk of pre-term birth and low birthweight. J Clin Periodontol 36(4):308–314
Radnai M, Pal A, Novak T, Urbán E, Eller J, Gorzó I (2009) Benefits of periodontal therapy when preterm birth threatens. J Dent Res 88(3):280–284
Offenbacher S, Katz V, Fertik G, Collins J, Boyd D, Maynor G, McKaig R, Beck J (1996) Periodontal infection as a possible risk factor for preterm low birth weight. J Periodontol 67(10 Suppl):1103–1113
American Dental Association document (2006) Women’s oral health issues. http://www.ada.org/sections/professionalResources/pdfs/healthcare_womens.pdf. Accessed 10 July 2012
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2001) Recommendations for using fluoride to prevent and control dental caries in the U.S. Morb Mort Wkly Rep 50:1–41
Lo Russo L, Campisi G, Di Fede O, Di Liberto C, Panzarella V, Lo Muzio L (2008) Oral manifestations of eating disorders: a critical review. Oral Dis 14(6):479–484
Wactawksi-Wende J (2001) Periodontal diseases and osteoporosis: association and mechanisms. Ann Periodontol 6(1):197–208
Jeffcoat MK, Chestnut CH III (1993) Systemic osteoporosis and oral bone loss evidence shows increased risk factors. JADA 124:49–56
Offenbacher S, Lin D, Strauss R, McKaig R, Irving J, Barros SP, Moss K, Barrow DA, Hefti A, Beck JD (2006) Effects of periodontal therapy during pregnancy on periodontal status, biologic parameters, and pregnancy outcomes: a pilot study. J Periodontol 77(12):2011–2024
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Krishna, R., Drisko, C. (2012). Implications of Gender Based Biology in Oral Health Issues – Are Women More Susceptible?. In: Costigliola, V. (eds) Healthcare Overview. Advances in Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4602-2_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4602-2_16
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-4601-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-4602-2
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)