Women’s Dental Health in Oak Bay, Victoria

The HerMouth Philosophy

A few years back, Dr. Jessica noticed a pattern. Menopause had started getting talked about everywhere, as a whole-body experience finally getting the attention it deserves. But almost nobody was talking about what it does to the mouth specifically.

It was a natural place for her to land. She’d spent years teaching dentists how to connect the dots between medical change and oral care for cancer patients. Turning that same lens toward pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, and bone health, for every woman, not just patients in crisis, was the next step.

HerMouth Philosophy (hermouthphilosophy.com) is the result: Dr. Jessica’s own body of work, built to help women understand what’s actually happening in their mouths as their hormones shift, and what to do about it.

About Dr. Jessica Metcalfe

Dr. Jessica Metcalfe.

Dentist · Co-owner · Special interest in women’s dental health

Dr. Jessica started in dentistry at 13, as a sterilization technician. She worked her way through nearly every role a dental office has: receptionist, office manager, dental assistant, before earning her degree from Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine in 2015.

Her first year out, she completed a hospital-based residency focused on medically compromised, geriatric, and special-needs patients. That year changed the direction of her career. She fell in love with complex care, and with the connection between medicine and dentistry.

That interest led her to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, where she spent five years as staff dentist and education director. Her focus there wasn’t just treatment. It was quality of life: helping patients navigating cancer care keep their mouths healthy through treatments that make that unusually hard.

She has spent her career since teaching other dentists how to bring that same standard of care to their own patients, as a clinical instructor at the University of Toronto, a contributor to CDA Oasis, and a four-year member of the Ontario Dental Association’s Education Advisory Committee. She’s an award-winning speaker and the best-selling author of Speak Kindly, You’re Listening, and was named to Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2023.

Today, Dr. Jessica is co-owner and a treating dentist at Bowker Creek Dental Clinic in Victoria, BC. If you’d like to see her in person for a women’s dental health exam, you can.

Read Dr. Jessica’s full profile

Why women’s dental health deserves its own conversation.

Estrogen and progesterone don’t just affect your mood, your bones, or your sleep. They affect your gums, your saliva, your risk of cavities and gum disease, and the density of the bone holding your teeth in place. Most women never hear this from a dentist, because most dental care isn’t built to ask.

Pregnancy

Hormonal shifts can increase gum sensitivity and the risk of gum disease, which is why pregnancy is one of the times your mouth needs the closest attention, not the least.

Menopause

Dropping estrogen changes saliva, gum tissue, and bone density all at once. Dry mouth, sensitive gums, and existing gum disease getting worse are common and rarely explained.

Bone health

The same bone loss that shows up on a DEXA scan shows up in your jaw. Your mouth can be one of the earliest places to catch it.

You don’t have to guess what’s happening, or wait until something hurts to ask. That’s what a women’s dental health exam is for.

What we might talk about at your visit.

Every visit starts with the same goal: a clear, complete picture of what’s going on in your mouth, and what it means for you specifically. Here’s what that includes:

Comprehensive Exam

A full picture of what’s currently going on in your mouth and what the risks are, so care can be focused on helping you take control of your oral health and longevity, tailored to you rather than a one-size-fits-all checklist.

Saliva Testing

One for dry mouth and cavity risk, one for gum disease risk. Hormonal changes shift your saliva itself, so testing tells us what’s true for your mouth right now, not just what used to be true.

A Full Set of X-Rays

These images let us see below the surface, checking the health of your teeth, roots, and jawbone.

Photos of Your Smile

We’ll take photos of your face and the inside of your mouth. These help us track your oral health over time and plan your care, and give us a chance to talk about what you like, what you don’t, and what changes you can expect to see as you age and move through every stage of your life.

Clear Aligners Discussion

If hormonal shifts to your bone density have moved your teeth or brought on new crowding, we’ll talk through whether aligners make sense for you.

Call

250 595 5203

We return calls the same business day.

Visit

Suite 408, 1990 Fort Street

Victoria, British Columbia
Just steps from Bowker Creek itself.

Hours

Mon–Fri7:30 – 3:30
Sat & SunClosed

Women’s dental health exam

Book your women’s health consult.

Fill in the form and our front desk will call you to find a time with Dr. Jessica that works.

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