CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS AND GUM DISEASE
In a recent article from New Scientist, British and Sri Lankan dental
researchers have found that contraceptive pills can damage women's gums.
The preliminary results from the study that were presented to the British
Society of Endocrinology in London suggested that inflammation of the
gums (known as gingivitis), is more common in women who take oral contraceptives
(birth control pills). It was especially evident in those women who neglected
sound oral hygiene care.
It is already a known fact that women who are pregnant have high level
of hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen, that can dilate blood
vessels and change the lining of the gums. This causes an increased level
of gum swelling. After birth, the swelling decreases due to these hormones
returning to normal levels.
The theory was that oral contraceptives containing hormones could produce
similar results. Dr. Mena Soory, a periodontal expert at the Guy's, King's
and St.Thomas Dental Institute in London, along with Aruni Tilakaratne,
a Ph.D. student at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, studied
the effects on 49 Sri Lankan women who were on the pill for between 2
to 4 years. It was found that 32% more women had gingival inflammation. Spaces, called embrasure spaces, between the teeth and gums were also
larger in pill users than non-pill users. Soory recommends that strict
oral hygiene measures that include flossing, brushing and regular dental
visits, are a must in preventing dental problems for women who take oral
contraceptives. Further studies are presently being conducted.
Source: NewScientist, 27 Nov 1999
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