Our hormone levels affect our bodies and biology in all sorts of ways. It’s now widely known that changes in hormone levels can alter the health of the skin, hair, and nails, and even our mood. If you are among the millions of people who experience menstrual cycles, you are possibly familiar with PMS symptoms like cramps or mood shifts. However, many people who menstruate are surprised to find that their mouth is just as sensitive to these hormonal changes. If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Why do my gums bleed before my period?’ or experienced a strange, cyclic dental pain, you aren’t imagining things. It’s a very real condition known as menstrual or hormonal gingivitis.

Hormone Levels in Each Menstrual Phase

The menstrual cycle has four phases: the menstrual (period) phase, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. As hormone levels change from one phase to the next to support specific functions, you can experience different effects in your body, as our bodies react differently to varying hormone levels.

The Menstrual & Follicular Phases (Days 1–14): As your period begins, estrogen and progesterone levels drop drastically. For most people, this brings a welcome relief to gum swelling and sensitivity after hormonal gingivitis.

The Ovulatory Phase (Around Day 14): Estrogen levels slightly increase right before ovulation. Some people may experience gum tenderness for 1 to 2 days.

The Luteal Phase (Days 15–28): This is the phase when progesterone levels peak and you start experiencing PMS. People who experience menstrual gingivitis, also known as cyclic gum inflammation, develop temporary symptoms during the luteal phase.

Around a week before your period, the luteal phase begins, and your body starts to get ready for a potential pregnancy. During this phase, the egg travels through the fallopian tubes to your uterus with a rise in the progesterone levels. Progesterone surge in the bloodstream triggers various physical and emotional changes, often known as Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). While people are aware of most PMS symptoms, dental concerns during this time are not often discussed, so much so that many people cannot even see the link between PMS and their monthly dental complaints.

How Your Menstrual Cycle Affects Your Teeth

Anyone who experiences regular hormonal cycles goes through hormonal fluctuations in their body. These fluctuations definitely affect how your body reacts to some factors. The spike in progesterone levels during the luteal phase increases blood flow to the gums. This can make your gums hypersensitive, resulting in bleeding and swelling. Progesterone can also change how your body responds to plaque and bacteria. It doesn’t increase plaque or bacteria, but it can change how your body responds to them. Your body may ignore a tiny amount of plaque when your progesterone levels are low, and act up with inflammation when you have higher levels of progesterone. These can cause a few temporary dental complaints, which are expected to end once your period starts. As you move to the Menstrual and Follicular phase, the estrogen and progesterone levels drop significantly. This shift causes the gums to calm down and the symptoms to wear off. Estrogen levels make a mini-spike when you start to ovulate, which can create minor sensitivity.

You are not alone if you are experiencing any of the symptoms below as part of PMS.

• Bleeding while brushing and flossing –
• Swollen and brighter red gums
• Temporary canker sores
• Phantom tooth sensitivity and aches

If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms as PMS, you may need to be extra meticulous with your daily brushing and flossing during these times. You can also consider your menstrual cycle when scheduling an appointment with your dentist. Laura Dental Clinic recommends scheduling a deep cleaning or a dental checkup appointment for the week after your period ends, when sensitivity fades.

Dental Treatment while on Contraceptives

Hormones have the power to make significant changes to your body. If you are getting ready for an operational treatment like extractions or implants, your dentist should be aware of any contraceptives you may be using. Contraceptives are the devices or medications used to prevent pregnancy. Most of the contraceptive methods work with the release of hormones and can definitely affect the result of a dental treatment. Healing is an important part of dental procedures and should be followed up by your dentist. Your dentist will inform you about the estimate for your healing phase after an operational treatment. Especially people who are on birth control pills can experience delayed healing after a tooth extractions, this is also called a dry socket. Having your dentist aware of the contraceptives or any hormonal medications will help in planning for your dental treatment that works best for you.

Hormonal Gingivitis vs Regular Gingivitis

Many people go through these fading symptoms as a sign of PMS and do not know about the relation to their hormonal cycles. However, these symptoms can also be a sign of serious dental issues if they persist and are consistent. It’s crucial to note that these symptoms cannot be considered PMS signs if they last beyond the luteal phase. While bleeding gums before the period are considered normal, consistent bleeding can be a sign of regular gingivitis. This is exactly why your dentist needs to be informed about the details of your symptoms. The duration and recurrence of these symptoms tell your dentist a lot about your dental health. There is never too much information when it comes to health concerns. These details will help your dentist determine whether you are experiencing hormonal gingivitis or regular gingivitis and assist you accordingly.

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