Can Birth Control Impact the Health of Your Gums?

Birth control used to have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone in them. This increase in hormones can wreak havoc in your mouth, including sensitivity, bleeding, swollen gums and an increased chance of cavities. But there is good news, not only can you keep your smile healthy by brushing and flossing, eating healthy, drinking water and visiting your dentist regularly, but birth control pills now have less hormones in them than the birth control of the past.

However, it is critical that you let your dentist know if you are on birth control. While it may not impact your smile, they need to know incase they decide to write a prescription for something that may decrease the effectiveness of your birth control. It is also important to know that your mouth and body may react differently to hormone levels and if you begin to notice any problems it is critical that you get it taken care of right away.

The other area you may be impacted is called, “dry socket.” Dry socket can be painful and is when you have radiating pain from the bone being exposed after an extraction. If this occurs you will want to contact Dr. Strutz and her team.  

For more information on the dental risks of high hormone levels contact Dr. Strutz and her team today.