Hormones may place women at greater risk for facial pain
One reason why many more women than men suffer from problems with their jaws—what doctors and dentists call temporomandibular disorders—may be related to the role of female reproductive hormones.
Researchers estimate that 10 million Americans suffer from jaw disorders. Facial pain from jaw problems is twice as common among women, especially those of childbearing age. While the cause is unknown, there are a range of theories about the condition and, likewise, a variety of treatment options, including techniques to reduce stress, medications to control pain and the use of mouthguards to protect teeth.
In January UW researchers reported a possible link between the use of hormone therapies and the incidence of jaw disorders among women. Dentistry Research Professor Linda LeResche studied a group of post-menopausal women who had been referred for jaw pain treatment and another group who were not referred for the disorder. “We found that women receiving hormone replacement therapy were 70 percent more likely than non-users to be suffering,” says LeResche.
Additionally, researchers studied 1,400 women aged 15 to 35 with jaw problems and 5,600 without the condition. They found that women using oral contraceptives were 20 percent more likely to have jaw pain. “Further research is needed to clearly identify hormones as a possible cause,” LeResche says. “Most likely they are only one of many causal factors.”