Women experience more dental health problems than men, experts say. Here’s what to do about it

Your dental health may depend on your gender.

Male and female teeth are very different, according to a TikTok posted by Dr. Ellie Phillips, DDS, an oral health educator based in Austin, Texas.

Phillips’ viral video, which has garnered over a million likes, explains the difference between men’s and women’s teeth.

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The dentist, who has worked in the industry for more than four decades, said women often tell her they take great care of their teeth.

“’I always attend dental cleanings,’” she said, citing the women she treats.

“’I floss, I brush my teeth. I do everything I’m told to do, and my teeth have cavities, I have gum disease, gum recession, all these problems. ‘”

She added: “‘And there’s my husband, or my fiancé, or my boyfriend – he doesn’t even brush his teeth half the time and has none of those problems.'”

The importance of pH

When Phillips was in dental school in the 1960s, she was “trained to believe” that the pH of all saliva was 7.

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After using a pH meter to test several people for many years, Phillips found that the pH of women’s saliva was often 5.5 or 6.

“Acid saliva in your mouth…may be the very reason why your teeth are weakening, that you are promoting plaque in your mouth, that you are suffering from gum disease,” she said in the video.

“Acid saliva is really harmful to oral health.”

Phillips suggested that the hypothesis of a universal salivary pH was based on studies from the 1950s, when only male dental students were surveyed.

“Even when I was in dental school, it was 1 percent women,” she said. “The others were men.”

Dr. Dominik Nischwitz, a specialist in biological dentistry in Tübingen, Germany, noted that several studies suggest that female patients may have significantly lower pH values, meaning their mouth is more acidic.

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“Women also generally have lower saliva flow than men,” he told Fox News Digital.

The ideal pH for saliva is between 7 and 7.4, according to Nischwitz.

“If we can help mothers create healthy mouths, we can begin to truly combat the global epidemic of dental disease.”

“If the pH of saliva consistently drops below 5.5, tooth enamel becomes demineralized, meaning it will be more prone to tooth decay,” he warns.

“If this is combined with lower saliva flow, which can lead to dry mouth, the tooth becomes weaker, because remineralization or buffering capacity is too slow.”

Dr. Brandon Mack, DDS, a cosmetic dentist who practices in New York and Florida, agreed in a response sent to Fox News Digital that acidity in the mouth can lead to worsening bacteria and tooth erosion.

“The role of saliva is to serve as a buffer system that allows us to maintain the teeth at a certain level, which will promote health and the presence of good probiotics inside the dental plaque biofilm,” he said. -he declares.

Mack pressed the question: “Are there influences that disproportionately affect women that change their acidic environment to a point where it’s going to be more detrimental to the mouth?” »

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Although Mack could not confirm whether there is a difference in salivary pH between men and women, he “won’t deny” the potential for some type of “relative correlation of factors that affect women more than men”.

He said: “The quality of saliva varies from one individual to another, and it depends on the amount of minerals, such as calcium, phosphate and fluorohydroxyapatite, present in that saliva. We also need to take into account the flow of saliva. , or the amount of saliva present, and any type of conditions that will affect men and women differently.

What is the solution ?

In Phillips’ TikTok video, she recommends taking a daily dose of xylitol, a natural sugar alcohol, to counteract salivary acidity.

“When you put xylitol, even a small one-gram amount, on the tip of your tongue, you stimulate a flow of saliva into your mouth,” she said.

This extra saliva contains “all the minerals you need,” Phillips said, as well as repair cells for gum health.

The expert recommended ingesting xylitol, such as Zellie’s Toothmint, at the end of a meal, then refraining from eating or drinking for an hour afterward.

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Mack agreed that xylitol is an “incredible tool” because it contains no carbohydrates “metabolized by acidophilic bacteria.” Xylitol promotes pH buffering when salivary flow is reduced,” he said.

Mack recommended other products, such as StellaLife kits and xylitol candies and lozenges.

Patients can also take certain medications to increase salivary flow, he added.

In addition to taking xylitol, it’s essential to adhere to a healthy lifestyle and eat nutrient-dense foods, Nischwitz recommends.

“It is true that consuming mint xylitol will result in greater saliva flow in the short term and is definitely recommended, but it will not completely solve the problem if the lifestyle does not support the oral microbiome,” she said. he told Fox News Digital.

“It’s amazing that the microbiome that develops before age 4 contributes to up to 40% of the oral bacteria we have as adults.”

“Processed foods are typically low in key minerals or can even deplete minerals from the body due to chelating agents like phytic acid.”

Key micronutrients that help remineralize teeth include vitamin D3, vitamin K2, magnesium, phosphorus, boron and essential amino acids, according to Nischwitz.

Using a more natural toothpaste and ditching super-acidic chemical mouthwashes are other factors to consider, he recommended.

“Instead of chemical mouthwashes, which harm your oral microbiome and make saliva super acidic, try coconut oil instead,” advised Nischwitz.

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In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Phillips reiterated that it is “paramount” that women are included in research studies.

“Their hormonal fluctuations, menstrual cycles, and biological nuances require far greater attention and accommodation than they currently receive,” she wrote. “I’m thrilled that we are finally addressing the crucial aspects of women’s oral health as a society.”

A mother’s oral health status during pregnancy has a “direct impact” on her baby’s oral health, which is a “vital but often overlooked conversation,” Phillips said.

“It’s amazing that the microbiome that develops before age 4 contributes to up to 40% of the oral bacteria we have as adults,” she said.

“If we can help mothers create healthy mouths, we can begin to truly impact the global epidemic of dental disease that is affecting us.”

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More than half of Americans suffer from dental problems that could probably be prevented, according to Phillips.

“This change requires us to truly evaluate the current dental industry, start asking the right questions, and expand research into gender differences and effective oral care strategies,” she said.

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