Evaluation and comparison of oral & periodontal health status in post-menopausal females with and without xerostomia: An observational study

Background & Objective - Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstrual periods, whether occurs naturally or induced by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It is accompanied by hormonal changes, predominantly decrease in estrogen and androgen levels. Females experience varying oral symptoms that may result from endocrine disturbances, multiple vitamin and mineral deficiencies and psychological dynamics during their menopausal years. Main oral symptoms associated during menopause include xerostomia, burning mouth and altered taste perception. Xerostomia leads to change in salivary pH thereby increasing the risk for oral diseases including periodontal diseases. Saliva contributes to maintenance of the oral pH by neutralizing acids from food and beverages, as well as from bacterial activity, thereby reducing the risk of periodontal disease. After menopause, reduced salivary flow rate and low pH may make females prone to oral health problems. Hence, the main goal of this study is toevaluate and compare the periodontal health status in post-menopausal females with and without xerostomia. Methodology-A total of 204 post-menopausal have been observed and their oral & periodontal status data was analyzed & interpreted.Result & Conclusion- Post-menopausal females with xerostomia were observed to have poor oral hygiene and severe periodontitis in comparison to non- xerostomia group.&nbsp