A mum was taken aback when it turned out her dental pain was revealed to be an early sign of menopause. Angela Cook, 49, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, was baffled by the “unbearable” pain in her gums, especially around her molars, which made eating hard or chewy foods a torment.
Indulging in her preferred snacks became “impossible”, and not long after, even eating daily meals was excruciating. The psychologist sought answers from her dentist, who suggested that ageing might be the reason for her discomfort. However, it wasn’t until she accidentally caught a radio conversation about menopause affecting gum health that she had an epiphany – she was experiencing it.
Experts say that hormonal changes during menopause, particularly a decrease in oestrogen, can lead to inflamed, bleeding, and painful gums.
But despite having other menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and mood swings since 2021 at 45, Angela hadn’t linked them to her dental issues.
To help manage her pain, she started researching online for possible treatments and came across ‘gum massaging’ on YouTube. This involves gently rubbing the gums underneath each tooth with her fingers after flossing, once a day.
When she started doing it daily in June 2022 she said she noticed an “instant difference”. While she still experiences occasional aching, the episodes are far less frequent.
She said: “I miss eating humbug sweets and sugar cane, but the risk of having the gum ache, like before, curbs my cravings.”
It follows research by CanesMeno involving 1,000 women who are experiencing, or have experienced, menopause, which revealed that over half felt unprepared for the ageing process, stating that more must be done to educate women about it.
Likewise, 48 per cent believe the general public requires better education on the subject, whilst 35 per cent wish they had learned about menopause during their school, university, or college years.
The statistics indicate that a fifth of women still regard menopause as a taboo topic, while three quarters of those who have been through it confessed they avoided discussing their symptoms with others.
Angela added: “I felt relieved when I came across the radio segment – I didn’t feel so alone. It made me feel validated – there was a reason for what I was experiencing.”
A spokesperson for CanesMeno, which has launched a training programme to educate Boots pharmacists on the signs of Menopause, said: “It’s still somewhat of a mystery for many women – perhaps even for those who have experienced it.
“People will have their perceptions of what they think the menopause is, but it impacts those going through it many ways, way beyond what they might expect.
“And this study highlights some of these ways – sadly there is a bit of a knowledge gap and we want to change that.”