Why Teeth Can Shift During Menopause (and What to Do About It)

The female body never stops changing. If you’re going through menopause, you’ve noticed this from your head to your toes.

But while it’s normal and expected to see things like gray hair and wrinkles begin to crop up, you may not have known about another common menopause side effect: shifting teeth.

Yes, your teeth, those once stable and consistent pearly whites, can begin to move over time. It happens to everyone as we get older, but for women, menopause plays a significant role in this change.

What are “menopause teeth,” and how can you stop them from shifting?

We’ll break down those answers and more in this article.

Perimenopause, Menopause, and Your Oral Health

Most women know that eventually, they’ll end up going through menopause, the period in life when females stop having a menstrual cycle and their reproductive years cease. However, perimenopause happens “around” the time of menopause, and it’s less commonly discussed.

Perimenopause refers to the process of transitioning into menopause. Your body is adjusting to the upcoming changes, and much of this is done with a change in hormones like estrogen and progesterone.

How Your Hormones and Teeth Are Connected

Although perimenopause begins at different times from the mid-30s, it tends to occur most frequently in women in their early 40s. In early-stage perimenopause, the menstrual flow and cycle length change, and estrogen levels may surge. The late stages are characterized by skipped periods and drops in estrogen levels, which trigger symptoms like hot flashes, dry mouth — and shifting teeth.

By the end of perimenopause (signified by 12 consecutive period-free months), you’re in menopause. Your hormones are still adjusting, and you might begin to experience the lesser-known effects of “menopause mouth.”

The Medical and Oral Health Side of Menopause Mouth

“Menopause mouth” is a general label that covers various actual diagnoses. Since this condition can come with different symptoms, doctors often refer to them all under the umbrella of this term.

You may have menopause mouth if you have any or all of the following:

• Dry mouth — Also called “cottonmouth” or, officially, “xerostomia,” caused by a change in the hormones that affect saliva production
• Altered taste — Such as loss of taste or changes that make food or drinks taste bitter or metallic
• Mouth sores — May have a cottage cheese-like appearance
• Burning mouth syndrome — Characterized by numbness, burning, or tingling in the mouth, lips, or tongue
• Gingivitis — Or bleeding gums

The changes in estrogen are linked to menopause mouth, which can directly impact your salivary glands, bone density, and teeth and gums. Let’s examine how that happens next.

Why Your Hormones Can Cause Your Teeth to Shift

Your teeth are connected to your jawbone through an intricate network of tissues, roots, and nerves. So how could hormones result in these harder-than-bone body parts moving?

As your hormones shift, they impact your jawbone density. Most of us are born with a healthy jawbone, and as our teeth grow in, they are supported. Because of the strength of the jawbone (which is based on its density), once our adult teeth have grown in, it takes a lot of damage or long-term orthodontic treatment for them to fall out or move.

However, it’s possible for the jawbone to lose its density:

• Removing teeth without replacing them with implants causes the jawbone to weaken and shrink. 
• Periodontal disease (a chronic gum infection) damages the supporting ligaments and alveolar bone.
• Smoking, trauma to the teeth or jaw, and some medical conditions can also speed up jaw atrophy.

And now we know that shifting hormones can affect jawbone density, too.

Why Teeth Shifting is a Big Deal

This dental bone loss results in oral health issues like tooth loss, receding gums, pain and discomfort when chewing, and a sunken or aged facial appearance. It also leads to teeth shifting, which shows up as gaps between teeth and bite changes.

When your hormones fluctuate, your mouth reshapes, changing your gum tissue and bone density levels. This adjustment forces your teeth to shift, which can change your bite.

Yes, you can choose to tolerate this new smile, but its impact may go beyond appearances.

Bite changes, also called malocclusions, can have adverse effects on your physical health, such as:

• Pain in your head, facial, and shoulder muscles from imbalances in the jaw and its connected parts
• Tooth decay and wear-and-tear along the misaligned edges that are harder to brush and floss
• Problems digesting your food because your new bite makes it difficult to break down your meals, which can also lead to nutritional deficiencies
• Changes in your speech patterns
• Trouble breathing through your nose
• Face shape changes (Keep reading: Bruxism and Its Impact on Facial Health)

If you think your hormones may be causing your teeth to shift, don’t wait until the signs are obvious and you need braces or Invisalign to fix your bite. Head to the dentist for a professional opinion, and start using some of the following natural ways to stop your teeth from shifting further.

Natural Ways to Stop Shifting Teeth During Menopause

Managing your menopause symptoms, including your shifting teeth, is possible. It often takes a combination of medical care and healthy lifestyle habits. Try these natural tips to keep your oral health optimal during this stage of your life:

Watch Your Diet and Take Supplements

Changing your diet and adding some supplements to your day may be all it takes to prevent the damage of shifting hormones on your teeth. Since your diet is essential to your overall health, you may notice that as you work on improving your dental health, other symptoms also improve. 

Additionally, natural teeth and bone strengthening boosters like Vitamin D and calcium can reduce the rate of bone deterioration. Talk to your healthcare provider about adding these supplements to your daily routine.

Stay Hydrated

Because of the effect hormones have on your saliva production, it’s vital to stay hydrated while you’re in perimenopause and menopause. Without enough fluids, you could end up with menopause mouth and the xerostomia that comes with it. On top of shifting teeth, this will also bring problems like tooth decay and bad breath. 

Keeping a high fluid intake also has the bonus effect of improving your skin’s health and reducing the signs of aging that come with menopause.

For optimal hydration results, avoid caffeine and alcohol. These beverages are known dehydrators and dry mouth triggers, so you’ll lose some of the positive effects of your water intake.

Focus on Your Oral Health Routine

What does your current oral hygiene regimen look like? According to the American Dental Association, your daily dental routine should include:

• Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and a soft toothbrush for two minutes, twice a day
• Cleaning between your teeth with floss or a floss pick once daily
• Eating a healthy diet with balanced vitamins and minimal sugary foods, drinks, or snacks
• Regular visits to the dentist for cleanings and exams

These oral health routines will increase your chances of keeping your teeth and gums strong and healthy while your hormones get settled beneath the surface.

If something is happening behind the scenes, such as diminishing jawbone density or tooth decay, your dentist can catch it quickly when you have regular exams.

Give Your Body a Little Extra Help

You may also be a candidate for natural or medicinal hormone replacement therapy. Various types of HRT are available, and a naturopath or medical provider can help you choose the proper treatment for your needs.

Teeth shifting is exacerbated if you’re a grinder, too. This condition, bruxism, is often triggered by stress hormones, so menopause and bruxing frequently go together. Studies show that hormone replacement therapy can minimize the sleep arousals that cause grinding.

Wearing a custom-made night guard from JS Dental Lab can help you get better sleep and avoid the side effects of bruxism while your hormones adjust.

Fixes for Shifted Teeth

If you didn’t know about menopause-induced teeth shifting and you already have a bite change or gaps, it’s okay! You’re not stuck with these changes unless you want to be. 

The first step is to schedule an appointment with your dentist to ensure nothing else is going on, like serious decay or worn enamel from grinding. The damage level will determine the type of fix that will help you.

For moderate to severe bite changes, orthodontic appliances such as Invisalign or braces could be a solution. Keep in mind that these orthodontia probably look significantly different from what you remember about braces as a child! Today’s teeth shifting appliances are often all but invisible, depending on the type of orthodontics you choose.

But for minor imperfections like small cracks, gaps, or chips, your dentist might recommend veneers or dental bonding. If you’ve had a few recent check-ups already and your teeth movement hasn’t changed, you could be done with the shifting and be a candidate for teeth bonding or veneers.

These cosmetic treatments are simple, in-office procedures covering common imperfections, from discoloration to cracks. Bonding uses a tooth-colored resin to hide the gaps, while veneers are bonded directly to the tooth’s surface using a thin, custom-made restoration.

Most of these fixes, including Invisalign, can easily be addressed with a dentistry solution. If you need more intricate orthodontia, you may be referred to an orthodontist specializing in teeth shifting in menopausal women.

Find out if you can wear a night guard if you have dentures or are missing teeth here.

Conclusion

When you know you’re in perimenopause or menopause (or you think you could be), once-minor problems like teeth sensitivity or bleeding gums could be warnings of big hormone changes. 

Don’t wait until your oral health symptoms are more serious. Talk to your doctor and dentist about your concerns. Everything menopause-related — even your mood swings and night sweats — is interrelated during this time of your life. 

Order a custom-fit night guard from JS Dental Lab today and stop the havoc before it can further damage your teeth!