Symptomatic changes of oral mucosa during normal hormonal turnover in healthy young menstruating women.

Introduction: Changes in hormonal levels, such as those that occur during puberty, pregnancy, menstruation and menopause, have varying effects on oral cavity. Many researchers have proposed a direct link between changing hormonal status and oral health among females.

Objectives: To study the various symptoms and clinical manifestations of oral cavity during normal course of menstrual cycle in healthy women.

Method: Our study comprised of forty healthy young women volunteers with normal menstrual cycle of 28 to 30 days. A proper menstrual history was recorded from the study subjects. The entire cycle was divided into four phases comprising of bleeding, proliferative, ovulation and secretory. All the study subjects had a menstrual cycle of 28 to 30 days. Thorough recording of oral discomforts during various phases of the cycle was done during the study period.

Results: 30% of study subjects complained of aphthous ulcers, 5% had herpes labialis, 25% of them complained of depression, 8% showed gingival bleeding.

Conclusion: Complaints, like oral ulcerations, mood variations, recurrent herpetic lesions, gingival bleeding in females during normal menstrual period, are attributed to the role of female sex hormones.

Clinical Significance: Lesions, like oral ulcers, recurrent herpetic lesions and increased gingival bleeding, seen in females during normal menstrual periods, could be related to hormonal turnover and therefore treated accordingly.