Seasonal allergy sufferers know that when allergy season arrives, they will experience a number of obvious problems such as increased sneezing, itchy, red eyes, and sinus congestion or pain. What allergy sufferers don’t know is that seasonal allergies can dramatically impact your oral health.

Discover how seasonal allergies affect your oral health and learn what you can do to protect your teeth, mouth, and gums when allergy season arrives.

GOT A TOOTHACHE? IT COULD BE CAUSED BY ALLERGIES

Typically, when you experience a toothache, you think you have a cavity, but that might not be the cause of your pain. The cause of your tooth pain could be from sinus congestion caused by seasonal allergies.
When you suffer from allergies, your body is automatically trying to fight off the allergen. For seasonal allergy sufferers, the allergen this is usually pollen. As your body is fighting the allergen, it can cause the lining of the sinuses to swell and become inflamed.

The swelling and inflammation of your sinuses causes pressure to build up. The pressure in your sinuses pushes down on the roots of the teeth in your upper jaw and can cause you to experience pain or increased sensitivity to hot and cold.

ALLERGIES CAUSE DRY MOUTH

It is not uncommon for allergy sufferers to experience dry mouth. There are two ways allergies cause dry mouth: by causing you to breathe through your mouth and by the medicines you take to relieve allergy symptoms, such as Flonase and Benadryl.

Having a dry mouth may not seem like a big deal, but it can cause you to experience a number of oral health problems. Some oral health problems dry mouth can cause include:

  • Increased tooth decay
  • Bad breath
  • Increased chance of developing cavities that may need fillings or a root canal
  • Increased chance of developing gum disease
  • Faster plaque and tartar build up

    • BAD BREATH THAT DOESN’T GO AWAY AFTER BRUSHING

    Bad breath can usually be corrected by making changes to your oral hygiene habits. However, if you notice that you still experience bad breath even after making changes to your oral hygiene routine, it could be because of your allergies.

    Allergies can often cause the mucus in your nasal cavities to drain down the back of your throat. If the mucus is left in the back of your throat, it can attract bacteria that cause bad breath. Since the bad breath is caused by the mucus in the back of your throat, no amount of brushing and flossing will help because the problem is in your throat and not your mouth.

    HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR ORAL HEALTH WHEN YOU SUFFER FROM ALLERGIES

    There are a few things you can do to help improve your oral health if you suffer from allergies. Some of the things you can do include:

  • Drinking lots of water staying hydrated will help relieve any dry mouth you experience and can remove excess mucus that may accumulate in the back of your throat. Staying hydrated will also help you clean your mouth, which can reduce your chances of developing cavities.
  • Use a saltwater gargle every evening this helps to remove excess mucus in your sinuses and throat
  • Work with your doctor to create a treatment plan for your allergies
  • Always continue to brush and floss no matter how your allergies make you feel
  • Schedule regular visits with your dentist

    • Want to learn how to prevent oral health problems from occurring during allergy season? Call Imagine Dentistry to schedule an appointment to speak with our dentist. We can help you learn more about how seasonal allergies affect your oral health and provide you with personalized recommendations for how to prevent oral health problems from occurring in the future. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.