Oral discomfort: An often overlooked symptom of menopause?

Abstract

Sir,

Menopause in women is a physiological state that gives rise to adaptive changes at both the systemic and oral level. Menopause literally means “without estrogen” and by definition, it is the time at which cyclic ovarian function, as manifested by menstruation ceases.^[1]

Earlier reports on the various oral manifestations of menopause emphasized on the cytological studies of the oral mucosa and gingiva of postmenopausal women and reported tissue changes.^[2,3] Additional studies, later supported correlations between estrogen deficiency and oral changes seen during menopause.^[4,5] Women may demonstrate menopausal gingivostomatitis and the clinical signs of this disease such as drying of the oral tissues, abnormal paleness of the gingival tissues, redness and bleeding on probing and brushing.^[6] Read more...