For women, life is full of significant decisions. One of the most important is the choice about whether or not to have children, which means that most women must decide on birth control at some time in their lives. 

Which birth control technique to use is frequently determined by weighing factors such as comfort, affordability, and adverse reactions, which led us to question the association between contraceptive methods and dental health.

Every woman goes through periods in her life when her hormones alter. Hormones influence a woman’s physical changes, mood, emotions, hunger, and general health.

Today, women may pick from a range of birth control options, each with its own set of hormone levels and crucial side effects to contemplate. These adverse effects can affect a woman’s general health, particularly her oral health!

What is the link between them? To comprehend the relationship between birth control and dental health, we must first comprehend how hormonal changes might affect mouth health.

During specific stages of life, such as adolescence, PMS, pregnancy, and menopause, women should be more conscious of their dental health. Some women will develop gum disease-like symptoms, such as puffy or bleeding gums if their estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate dramatically.

The inflammation connected with gum disease has been linked to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, some malignancies, and other diseases. So, what is the relationship between birth control and dental health?

The Hormone Connection Between Birth Control and Oral Health

Because many types of birth control contain hormones, the first month after taking the pill has the most impact on the body. Since their gums are more vulnerable at this period and may become upset more easily, some women can have gum disease-like characteristics such as swollen or bleeding gums when their hormones fluctuate dramatically.

The excellent thing is that not every birth control is treated similarly, and newer tablets today have lower quantities of estrogen and progesterone than they did previously, so the influence of hormones on dental health isn’t as significant.

When taking hormone-based birth control, nevertheless, women who also have gingivitis are now at a greater risk of gum disease progression.

• Smoking: There is a relationship between smoking and birth control usage in women. Women who smoke are more likely to experience a variety of complications, including blood clotting and dry socket after having wisdom teeth out.
• Medicines: Some medications may be less effective or interfere with birth control, so make sure to disclose any prescription information to your dentist.
• Duration: The duration of a woman’s usage of hormone-based birth control raises her risk of gum disease.

While there are several factors to consider when selecting the best birth control method for a woman, keeping appropriate dental care habits can help to ensure that her oral health is not negatively damaged.