As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, WTOP presents “250 Years of America,” a multipart series examining the innovations, breakthroughs and pivotal moments that have shaped the nation since 1776.
Delta Dental Federal Government Program is proud to partner with WTOP to bring you this series.
Menopause care has undergone a measurable shift over the years. In the early 2000s, findings from the Women’s Health Initiative linked hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to increased risks of breast cancer, stroke and blood clots, leading to a sharp decline in its use. Now that narrative is shifting.
More recent research and updated clinical guidance from organizations like the Food and Drug Administration are now reshaping how it is evaluated and prescribed. As of late 2025, the FDA has removed the “black box” warnings from many menopause hormone therapy products.
“Millions of women were told to fear the very therapy that could have given them strength, peace and dignity through one of life’s most difficult transitions — menopause,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said while announcing the changes.
For many women, especially those under 60 or within 10 years of menopause onset, HRT is now considered a safe and effective option for managing symptoms and protecting long-term health. Today’s guidance is more precise, recognizing that risks and benefits depend on several factors including dosage and individual health history.
This change is more than just a reversal because it’s part of something deeper. Medicine is correcting years of blind spots in its study and treatment of women. It also mirrors a broader evolution in healthcare. For much of modern medical history, clinical research disproportionately focused on men, with results generalized to women.
Even when women were included, studies often did not account for hormonal cycles, pregnancy or menopause. Researchers are recognizing that these transitions ripple across the entire body, influencing cardiovascular, skeletal, metabolic — and even oral — health.
Hormonal changes during both pregnancy and menopause can significantly impact oral health. During pregnancy, elevated hormone levels can increase susceptibility to inflammation, leading to conditions like pregnancy gingivitis and periodontitis, according to the National Library of Medicine. Some studies have also linked poor oral health to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth.
Menopause presents a different set of challenges. Declining estrogen levels have been associated with dry mouth, burning mouth syndrome and an increased risk of periodontal disease. Bone density loss can also affect the jaw, potentially impacting tooth stability.
In some cases, patients are pushing the system forward. A recent initiative from Delta Dental underscores this shift. Delta Dental reports that women are increasingly seeking menopause-specific dental benefits, reflecting a growing awareness of how hormonal changes affect oral health.
There’s also a parallel push for sex-specific research and more inclusive clinical trials on the federal level recently. In 2016, the National Institutes of Health implemented a policy requiring researchers to design studies that include both female and male subjects. The goal was to improve the quality and reliability of research, while making sure the findings work for both men and women.
In 2024, Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at advancing women’s health research. It directed federal agencies to strengthen data collection, expand funding and address long-standing gaps in how conditions affecting women are studied and treated.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
