If you suffer from allergies, you already know that they can impact you from spring right through fall. In fact, people who have allergies to dust and pet dander deal with their allergic symptoms all year long! Most of us are familiar with the signs of allergies, including sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throats, headaches, etc. But you may not know that allergies can affect your oral health – and not in a good way.
One of the most common allergy symptoms is sinus congestion, and if you can’t breathe through your nose, you breathe through your mouth. That results in dry mouth, and that can spell trouble for your oral health. People trying to alleviate sinus issues often use an over-the-counter antihistamine or decongestant. While these remedies may help to relieve congestion, they have one typical side effect: they cause dry mouth! So whether you take allergy medicine or not, dry mouth is likely to occur as a result of your allergies.
Dry mouth is more than just irritating; it can cause real damage to your teeth and gums. The saliva we produce performs several important functions. It helps to break down and digest food, it washes away leftover food inside your mouth, and it helps to neutralize acids that would otherwise cause plaque buildup and tooth decay. If you don’t produce enough saliva, not only are you more prone to develop cavities; you are also at a higher risk of forming gum disease.
Fortunately, there are several effective ways to treat chronic dry mouth. Drinking more water not only helps to alleviate dryness inside the mouth; it also helps to hydrate you during this hot time of year. You can also try chewing on sugar-free gum, which will not only help to produce more saliva but also help to actually clean the surface of your teeth while you chew. Sleeping with a humidifier can also help to alleviate the symptoms of dry mouth.
Another common symptom related to allergies is pain in the upper teeth. Because these teeth are situated very close to your sinus cavity, any type of inflammation or irritation that occurs in your sinuses can make your teeth hurt! Of course, any time you experience a toothache, you should contact your dentist to make sure that it is, in fact, related to your sinuses and not due to a dental issue.
If you suffer from allergies – whether they are seasonal plant allergies, or symptoms related to dust and pet dander – talk to your dentist. He or she can recommend effective ways to reduce the symptoms of dry mouth, and can also help to alleviate the dental pain associated with inflamed sinuses.
