Teeth!

Or as my old Mum used to say to me - "Teeth? Nuisance coming, nuisance when you have them and an even bigger nuisance when they're going"!  I think she wasn't far wrong!

I've NOT got great teeth - straight up they could be much better. I have gaps, fillings and they're not a beautiful colour. For some of this I'm afraid I do have to lay the blame at my Mums door (sorry Mum if you're looking down on me as I type this) and also the culture of the '60s when I was little. Mum didn't encourage me to clean my teeth as we do now, and when I went to the Dentist (who I inherently had a fear of) then it was for extractions (with a black rubber mask over my face - still can't bear the smell of rubber) and awful smelling gas that knocked you out and off you went.  Oh crikey, I can smell it as I type!!!! 

But where did we go after the dentist??? Straight to a sweetshop to stop my tears!!!!! 

The fear of Dentists has stayed with me all my life, and I never actually went to a dentist for many, many years in my 20's and 30's until I found a great private dentist who dealt with scared patients and I've gone privately ever since. I make myself go every 4/5 months even though I know that many times I will sit there quietly crying (even for a check up - I know I know!!) heaven help the dentist if I need a filling.............. I also get quite a rush of adrenaline as my body goes into flight or fight mode, that means I'll have a headache for the rest of the day and evening. 

Now, I'm mature and my teeth are starting to give me problems by receding gums and should teeth be saved or extracted.  So why do we have problems with teeth as we get older?? 

Well I am not a dentist and I am not a medic, but when researching this issue guess what I found causes us problems??? Yep - good old MENOPAUSE!!!!  Aargh............

During menopause and other times of hormonal fluctuation, women are apparently at a greater risk of dental problems, including gum problems. During menopause, this is most commonly associated with changing oestrogen levels and the natural ageing process.

During menopause, as the body prepares to shut down the reproductive functions of the ovaries, oestrogen levels begin to spike and fall erratically, eventually leading to a significantly decreased production of oestrogen. This drop in oestrogen can increase the risk of gum problems, tooth loss, and osteoporosis.

I had no idea that Menopause caused these sorts of problems - I really didn't.........

So! What can we do apart from the usual dental appointments, flossing, brushing etc etc; 

Make lifestyle adjustments - exercise regularly, get sufficient quality sleep, brush and floss twice daily, eat a balanced diet that includes calcium from leafy greens and dairy foods, fruit and veg is rich in Vitamin C and this is great for your mouth health.  Foods rich in phytoestrogens - like soy, flaxseed, and peas - can moderately raise oestrogen levels. Lean red meat is also apparently good as is Almond Milk. 

You should avoid excess amounts of sugar, alcohol and tobacco, high stress levels and if you encounter problems - don't just think it will go away - SEE YOUR DENTIST. 

Now I could just sit and cut and paste but instead, here are some websites/articles I've researched and which I'm sure you'll fine interesting, 

http://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/healthy-living/news/a38248/smile-health-post-menopause/

http://www.yours.co.uk/health-and-wellbeing/health/articles/how-the-menopause-could-affect-your-teeth



Happy Flossing!

Liz x x x x