Oral Hygiene Habits Differ in Men and Women

Men — start your brushes — toothbrushes, that is. If you want a fancy battery- or electric-powered one, go ahead and spend the money. If you’re a low-tech kind of guy, that’s fine too — just do whatever it takes to jump-start your dental hygiene habits, because new survey data from the American Dental Association shows men’s oral hygiene habits lag far behind women’s and it’s affecting their health.

REAL MEN GET FEWER CAVITIES

Increasingly, researchers are identifying links between gum disease and heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic health conditions. Conversely, systemic diseases such as diabetes can lead to problems with teeth and gums, and regular dental care can help stave off complications like periodontal disease for those with chronic health conditions. Here’s what you need to know about the findings from Matthew Messina, DDS, a practicing dentist in Cleveland, Ohio…

I’ll start with the good news. Men get fewer cavities than women, though this seems counter-intuitive given their bad hygiene habits. Fluctuations of female sex hormones during puberty and high levels of estrogen in pregnant women promote cavities and encourage potentially harmful food cravings, which may be factors. Also, men produce more saliva than women — saliva is helpful in removing food residue from the teeth and has antimicrobial properties that help maintain dental health.

However, despite their natural advantages, the oral hygiene habits and standards of men are simply not up to those of women, according to the ADA. For starters, men are far less likely to schedule regular appointments to see the dentist. Men also tend to skimp on their basic brushing and flossing routines. Whereas nearly nine out of 10 (86%) of women brush two or more times each day and 56% floss at least once, just 66% of men brush twice or more daily and 41% floss at least once. Also, men replace toothbrushes less frequently — typically using a toothbrush for five months before tossing it in the trash, compared with every three to four months for women.

Dr. Messina’s advice: Everyone, male and female, needs to visit the dentist at least every six months for a cleaning, brush twice daily and floss at least once a day. As for toothbrushes, the ADA recommends replacing them every three months or when bristles fray.

THE BAD NEWS FOR MEN

Gum disease is common in both genders, but men report more tooth loss due to periodontal disease and tooth decay. Regular check-ups are vital to monitoring periodontal health.

Men are diagnosed with oral cancers twice as often as women. An estimated 35,000 Americans get oral cancer each year, 21% of whom will die from it. Historically heavy tobacco or alcohol use were the greatest risk factors for oral cancers, but more recently, there has been a rise in oral cancers that appears to be linked to the cancer-causing strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted disease.

Dr. Messina’s advice: As with many cancers, the best chance of surviving an oral cancer is through early diagnosis and treatment. Your dentist should thoroughly examine your cheeks, gums, tongue and the roof, floor and sides of your mouth and tonsil area during regular checkups, looking for potential irregularities such as sores, small lumps, unexplained bleeding or white or red patches. These may be warning signs of cancer. If you are at higher risk — i.e., if you smoke, drink heavily or have had multiple sex partners — inquire about new screening tests that help identify cancers and premalignant lesions that are not yet visible to the naked eye. And if you have any sore in the mouth that does not heal within two weeks, Dr. Messina strongly advises that you have your dentist take a look at it.

BE A MAN: FACE UP TO ORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES

Men often think they are bulletproof and may often ignore what’s going on with their bodies. According to Dr. Messina, this is also the case with oral hygiene. If you want to keep healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime, he recommends that you start taking better care of your mouth today.