The Differing Oral Health Needs of Men and Women

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The truth, however, is that problems vary hugely from person to person, with some people having a genetic predisposition toward certain conditions, and even men and women displaying differing dental health profiles.

If you pay a visit to the dentist at London any time soon, you’ll doubtless be struck with just how up to date, modern and relaxed the atmosphere is. With the contemporary emphasis on cosmetic dentistry and what it can do to give you the perfect smile, most dental implants clinics now resemble state of the art spa’s or health farms rather than emergency medical centres. Surprisingly, however, another thing you might notice is a difference in the numbers of men and women visiting – or at least that was one of the conclusions of a recent survey.

The survey, published in the Journal of Period ontology, found that there were huge differences in the approach to dental care adopted by men and women, and that these differences, predictably, led to wildly variable outcomes. The survey found that women were twice as likely to have accessed regular dental check-ups in the previous twelve months. Not only that, but having had their looked at they were then more likely than men to actually access the recommended treatment. Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that women displayed far fewer signs of dental ill health, such as bleeding gums and plaque and calculus build up than men in the same survey.

The survey involved more than 800 people aged 18 to 19, an age at which most people would expect to still be exhibiting fairly good dental health. Through a series of questionnaires and oral examinations, the study concentrated on the field of periodontal illness.

These are conditions which attack just below the gum line, a highly vulnerable area which, if it becomes badly weakened can greatly reduce the strength and integrity of the tooth. The fact that periodontal disease can gain a foothold without creating any significant symptoms is one of the reasons why regular dental check-ups are so important, as your dentist will be able to spot the presence of infected or ailing gum tissue.

Whilst the eagle eye of your dentist is the best means of identifying the presence of periodontal disease, there are some steps which the patient themselves can take to try and stop it becoming established in the first place. These include giving up smoking and maintaining a strict and well supervised brushing and flossing regime. Other factors which may cause an increased risk of periodontal illness include various medications such as steroids or birth control pills, diabetes, crooked , ill-fitting bridges and pregnancy.

If you worry that you may have developed, or be in the early stages of, periodontal disease, then the first thing to do is visit your dentist for an examination. The warning signs include tender, swollen or sore looking gums which bleed easily, bad breath, gums receding from the or which start to feel loose or fit together differently.

Whether you’re a man or as woman, a smile you can be proud of will allow you to move confidently through life, safe in the knowledge that the first impression you create on people will be overwhelmingly positive. Modern dentistry makes it possible for anyone to aspire to this level of confidence.