Oral microcirculation in post-menopause: a possible correlation with periodontitis

Area of Science:

• Oral Medicine
• Periodontology
• Menopause Research

Background:

• Menopause-associated estrogen reduction negatively impacts oral health.
• Post-menopausal women exhibit more severe periodontal disease compared to pre-menopausal women.
• Estrogen influences oral epithelium, salivary glands, bone tissue, and endothelium, potentially affecting oral microcirculation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate microcirculatory changes in the oral cavity of post-menopausal women.
• To compare oral microcirculation parameters between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind study involving 27 post-menopausal and 27 pre-menopausal women.
• Oral microcirculation was assessed using oral videocapillaroscopy.

Main Results:

• Significant differences observed in labial mucosa: decreased loop diameter and increased tortuosity in post-menopausal women.
• Significant decrease in periodontal mucosa density in post-menopausal women compared to pre-menopausal women.
• Specific parameters: loop diameter (0.038±0.008 vs 0.045±0.005), tortuosity (3.83±1.13 vs 1.83±1.06), periodontal density (28.86±10.92 vs 89.62±17.83).

Conclusions:

• Reduced periodontal density may impair epithelial tropism, increasing susceptibility to inflammation.
• Increased tortuosity suggests prolonged presence of inflammatory factors in post-menopausal women.
• These microcirculatory changes contribute to the higher prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in post-menopausal women.