Short-term progesterone administration safe for the periodontal environment in perimenopausal women

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of exogenous progesterone in the periodontal environment of perimenopausal women.This clinical trial was designed to assess the effect of endogenous progesterone on the periodontal environment in perimenopausal women. Individuals with periodontitis had a higher gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) than those without periodontitis, in both peri- and postmenopausal states. In perimenopausal women without periodontitis, the GI and PD and gingival crevicular fluid levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, but not CAL, were significantly higher during 3 months of exogenous progesterone administration; however, all parameters had reverted to normal levels by 6 months after the treatment was discontinued.

Either with or without periodontitis, 100 perimenopausal women received 3 months of progesterone treatment, as well as age-matched 100 perimenopausal and 100 postmenopausal women without treatments were enrolled (N = 50). The gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and tooth mobility (TM), as well the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were analyzed.

Results

Periodontitis showed higher GI, PD, and CAL than non-periodontitis at perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods. In women without periodontitis, the GI and PD, and the GCF levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased by 3 months of progesterone treatment, but recovered from the 6th month in the absence of progesterone. In women with periodontitis, only the PD was short-termly increased by progesterone treatment. For those without progesterone treatment, the GI, PD, and TM were not significantly different between perimenopausal and postmenopausal women either with periodontitis or not.

Exogenous progesterone short-termly exacerbated the inflammation and PD in perimenopausal women without periodontitis, and the PD in those with periodontitis.

Reference:

Man, Y., Sun, L., Qin, J., Zhang, X., Yan, S., & Niu, F. (2023). Exogenous progesterone short-termly affects the periodontal environment in perimenopausal women. Oral Diseases, 29, 1795– 1801. https://doi.org/10.1111/odi.14133