How does the menopause affect oral health and the quality of life in female patients?

Abstract

Objective: To determine if a more supportive approach is required from dental professionals to the menopausal patient - peri, current and post-menopausal stage and to evaluate if this alteration impacts the oral health risk. Introduction: The menopause is where a female does not menstruate for a consecutive 12 months, causing her hormone levels to reduce. Symptoms can occur from the age of 35 years and a female can still be menstruating but symptomatic, this is known as the perimenopause. After a female has reached the menopause, they can continue to have symptoms for many years, this is known as post-menopause. This literature review looks at the evidence of how the menopause, before and after, can be implicated in the oral health and quality of life (QOL) in the female patient. Methodology: Various electronic databases were used to answer a PEO question [Patient/Population/Problem, Exposure and Outcome] using Boolean operators and truncators. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were utilised to screen papers that did not meet the criteria. Nine papers met the criteria and were critically appraised. Results: The reviewed literature showed that menopause affects the QOL of female patients, leading to depression and a lack of motivation towards oral care. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be considered as a benefit due to reduced xerostomia leading to patient comfort and reduced caries risk. Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) appears more prominent in menopausal women, but with no definitive connection, this should be explored further. Skeletal bone loss and vaginal dryness are also associated with menopause and, therefore, should not be ruled out as secondary risk factors to oral health and patient QOL. Conclusions: The menopause should not be considered lightly when discussing this in a patient''s medical history. Dental professionals need to understand the implications of menopause and the secondary risk factors that can affect the oral health and QOL within female patients who are experiencing the menopause at various stages.