Spring is one of the most beautiful and refreshing seasons. Everyone loves to see flowers and sunshine after a long winter! However, springtime is also allergy season. If high pollen counts have you suffering from symptoms like sneezing and nasal congestion, you might feel pretty miserable. To add to your troubles, your seasonal allergies could be indirectly endangering your oral health! How might your allergies do that, and what can you do to protect your smile? This blog post provides some helpful information.
Allergies and Your Oral Health
Seasonal allergies might affect your oral health in a few ways:
- Nasal congestion. If you have nasal congestion, you may be more likely to breathe through your mouth. Your saliva might dry up, which in turn can increase your risk of cavities, gum disease and bad breath.
- Medication side effects. Many popular allergy medications (antihistamines) have dry mouth as a side effect, which can further heighten your risk of oral health problems.
- Sugary medications. Some liquid allergy medications contain quite a bit of sugar, which may lead to cavities.
- Tooth pain. Sinus congestion may place pressure on your upper teeth, causing discomfort.
How to Protect Your Smile During Allergy Season
Here are a few steps you can take to reduce your risk of dental problems while you cope with springtime allergies:
- Stay hydrated. Sipping on water throughout the day can keep your mouth clean and encourage saliva production.
- Enjoy sugar-free candy or gum. Sucking on sugar-free candy or chewing sugar-free gum can encourage saliva production. If the candy is sweetened with xylitol, that is even better because xylitol is known for promoting oral health.
- Gargle with salt water. Salt water can reduce the number of harmful bacteria in your mouth and soothe allergy-related sore throats.
- Keep up with oral hygiene. A thorough brushing and flossing routine can go a long way toward preventing cavities, gum disease and bad breath.
- Talk to your primary care practitioner. If you have severe allergies, you might be a candidate for prescription allergy medications or allergy shots.
- Try to avoid allergy triggers. If possible, try to stay indoors when pollen counts are especially high.
- Visit your dentist. A springtime dental checkup can reveal if you have any new oral health problems that require treatment.
Springtime allergies can make you miserable and jeopardize your smile! Use the advice in this article to protect your oral health to the extent possible.
Meet the Practice
Drs. Harith Kamil and Noosha Khadivi have many years of combined experience in the field of dentistry. They are proud to offer a broad range of services, including preventive and restorative care. If you have questions about how you can manage your oral health during springtime allergy season and beyond, our team would be happy to speak with you. Contact our friendly staff at 508-943-8111.