5 reasons why men have more dental problems

In a perfect world, women and men would visit their dentist every 6 months or twice a year for regular cleanings and checkups.  Granted, our world is not perfect and men are more likely to neglect their oral health than women.  In fact the American Dental Association verifies this from these statistics:

·      The average man is less likely to brush his teeth after every meal (20.5% compared with 28.7% for women.

·      The average man is less likely to brush his teeth twice a day (49% compared with 56.8% for women).

·      Men are more likely to have untreated dental decay than women (29% compared with 25% for women, age 35-44).

These statistics point out the obvious that men do not take their oral health as seriously as women but they should.  Taking care of our teeth and gums can help prevent many oral-related issues such as periodontal (gum) disease, persistent bad breath or loose teeth. When men follow basic oral hygiene methods, this is key to helping them have a healthier mouth. 

Men who are negligent of their oral health however, will likely suffer the consequences.  Here are 5 reasons why men skipping visits to their dentist can result in poor oral health:

1.  Men are more likely to develop dry mouth

Dry mouth (also called xerostomia) is caused by a decrease in the amount of saliva in the mouth when the salivary glands do not work properly. The salivary glands help keep your mouth moist, which helps prevent tooth decay and other oral health problems. Men are more likely to have a dry mouth and when that is combined with fewer visits to their dentist, this can lead to problems with the health of the inside of the mouth. 

Dry mouth can lead to difficulty in tasting, chewing, or swallowing.  It also allows plaque to build up on your teeth faster, leading to a higher risk of cavities.  In certain cases, a lack of moisture can make your tongue become very sensitive, causing a condition called burning mouth syndrome. Dry mouth can also lead to bad breath, ulceration or soreness of the mouth, gum disease, and difficulty in wearing dentures. 

2.  Men visit the dentist less frequently

Men simply make fewer appointments with their dentist than women.  Chalk it up to being a man and feeling invincible, men are less likely to make or keep their recommended dental visits on an annual basis compared to women.  Due to this lack of inattentiveness in regards to their oral health, men are more likely to experience oral-related problems such as tooth sensitivity, tooth loss, cavities, or a mouth infection. 

3.  Men are affected with more gum-related problems

Since men have higher rates of dry mouth combined with fewer visits to their dentist, it makes sense that men also are more prone to gum-related issues such as gum infections and periodontal or gum disease.  When these problems are discovered, because men often delay seeking help for these problems, the conditions are often at a more advanced stage requiring more invasive procedures to correct them.

4.  Men are less likely to brush teeth properly

Men have a tendency to not do what they are supposed to do.  One important aspect of taking care of teeth is to brush them twice daily or after every meal.  When compared to women, men simply fall short on following this basic recommendation.  Infrequent brushing of teeth, brushing too aggressively, or less than two minutes, can make them more prone to developing cavities, plaque, tartar, oral infection and inflammation, bleeding gums, and bad breath.  Knowing the basics of brushing teeth can prevent these problems to begin with. 

This failure to keep a regular routine of brushing their teeth makes it more likely men to suffer from tooth loss requiring the need for dentures or other means of tooth replacement as they get older. 

5. Men are at a greater risk for oral cancers

Anyone can get oral cancer however some factors may increase your likelihood of developing the disease.  As with many cancers, the risk of developing oral cancer increases with age.  Men are twice as likely to develop oral cancer as women with most people being over the age of 55. 

One of the biggest factors why men are more prone to oral cancers than women is the fact that 80% of people with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers use tobacco in the form of cigarettes, chewing tobacco or snuff.  Men are heavier uses of these products than women.  The risk of developing oral cancer depends on the duration and frequency of tobacco use.

Alcohol use is another strong risk factor for oral cancers with about 70% of people diagnosed with these cancers are heavy drinkers.  If the person both smokes and drinks heavily, the risk of oral cancer may be as high as 100% more than the risk of people who do not smoke or drink.

All men but for sure any man who is engaging in these lifestyle behaviors of tobacco use and drinking needs to see their dentist regularly.  At all dental checkups, the dentist does a routine inspection of the lips, inside of the mouth, gums, and tongue, looking for any signs of oral cancer.  The sooner these cancers are discovered and treated, the greater chance of recovering from them.