Estrogen Therapy Appears to Be Beneficial to Periodontal Health

Osteoporosis treatment may have broader application than initially thought. According to a new study, estrogen therapy — long used to treat osteoporosis and help manage side effects of menopause — may also improve periodontal health. In offering this suggestion, researchers examined data from 492 postmenopausal Brazilian women ages 50 to 87; of these, 113 were undergoing osteoporosis treatment and 379 were not being treated. The team sought to determine whether osteoporosis therapy could improve jawbone density, as well as overall oral health.

After examining the two groups, the researchers noted that compared to the control subjects, patients undergoing osteoporosis treatment had a 44% lower incidence of severe periodontitis. As reported in “Association Between Osteoporosis Treatment and Severe Periodontitis in Postmenopausal Women,” published in Menopause, the team concluded that estrogen therapy, in addition to calcium and vitamin D supplements, may prevent the progression of periodontal disease.