Unravelling the Oral Ascendancy of Female Sex Hormones on Periodontium

Bacterial plaque has been established as the primary etiologic factor for the initiation of periodontal disease. It has also been shown that without a susceptible host the periodontal pathogens are necessary but not sufficient for disease to occur. The notable periodontal changes related specifically to female sex steroid levels, primarily those manifested as pathologic alterations in the gingiva, attest to the dramatic potential these hormones possess to impact the oral tissues beyond normal homeostatic functions. Hormonal changes in women present a unique challenge for decision making in periodontal therauptics.