Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to environmental allergens like pollen, mold, dust, or grass. These can trigger symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, congestion, and excess mucus. 

In turn, allergies can also hurt your oral health. Allergy symptoms can create dry mouth, induce tooth pain, and cause you to have bad breath. 

In this article, we will learn more about the symptoms of allergies, the potential oral health issues they can cause, and how to prevent and treat allergies to minimize the overall impact on your health. 

Understanding Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies are especially prominent in the spring and fall in most locations, though they can happen year-round. Before understanding how to manage the impact of allergies on your oral health, it’s first important to understand how seasonal allergies affect the body overall. 

Common Allergy Symptoms

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Coughing
• Swelling
• Throat irritation
• Mucus buildup
• Hives
• Fatigue and lack of sleep

These symptoms can lead to dry mouth, or cause pain in your teeth and gums. 

Mouth Breathing and Its Effects

Congestion can lead to breathing problems, specifically causing you to breathe out of your mouth. Mouth breathing can lead to a lack of saliva, which can cause dry mouth and bad breath. 

Mouth breathing over an extended period can also cause teeth crowding, cavities, and gum disease. 

How Do Seasonal Allergies Affect Your Oral Health?

As we’ve discussed, seasonal allergies can have a negative impact on your oral health. The biggest dental-related issues caused by allergies are dry mouth, bad breath, bacterial growth, gum inflammation, and tooth pain. 

Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)

Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition where your mouth fails to produce enough saliva. This can be caused by seasonal allergies, or as a side effect of allergy medication. Mouth breathing is also a leading cause of dry mouth, as breathing through your mouth dries out the oral cavity over time. Xerostomia can also lead to an increased risk of tooth cavities. 

Bad Breath and Bacterial Growth

A dry environment in your mouth can cause an influx of bacteria, leading to persistent halitosis (bad breath), an issue that impacts roughly 25% of people, according to the National Library of Medicine.

While you can combat this by practicing good oral hygiene, brushing regularly, and chewing gum or eating breath mints, treating the root issue causing dry mouth will lead to a more long-term solution. 

Gum Inflammation and Tooth Pain

Allergic reactions may cause inflammation in the gums, which could potentially lead to gingivitis. Redness, swelling, or bleeding in the gums could be the cause of an allergic reaction, especially if you’re in the habit of practicing good oral hygiene. 

Sinus pressure can also lead to pain in the teeth or gums, especially in the upper teeth. Sinuses are located right above the upper jaw, and inflammation can cause pressure to feel like a toothache. 

How to Alleviate Allergy-Related Oral Health Issues

Allergies are hard enough to deal with on their own. Adding in any extra issues related to oral health can cause twice the pain and discomfort. Thankfully, there are several easy ways for you to minimize the impact of allergies on your dental health.  

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water regularly helps maintain saliva flow and reduces the risk of dry mouth. Adults should drink 4-6 cups of water daily, according to University Health. However, that number increases when you’re suffering from dry mouth or other allergy-related oral health issues. 

Additionally, you can also try to produce more saliva by chewing on sugar-free gum or lozenges. 

Use Allergy Medications Wisely

Allergy medication can help reduce the impact of sneezing, sinus pain, and other allergy symptoms. However, many antihistamines treated for allergies can cause side effects that impact your oral health, such as dry mouth.

Some modern allergy medicines are designed to reduce the impact of dryness, so check the side effects carefully before using. It's always best to consult with your doctor or dentist before starting any medication to see how it will impact your overall health. 

Maintain Your Oral Hygiene

Maintaining meticulous oral hygiene can help combat mouth-related symptoms from allergies. This includes gently brushing twice a day, flossing regularly, and using mouthwash for bacteria control. 

You also may want to consider using a specialized toothpaste or mouth rinse that is designed for dry mouth relief. Consult with your dentist to determine the best medication for your specific needs. 

Practice Nasal Breathing Exercises

To help avoid mouth breathing, you can also practice techniques to strengthen your nasal breathing capacity. Talk to your doctor about specific methods you can use to improve nasal breathing, such as 4-7-8 breathing or nasal humming. 

You can also use saline nasal sprays or neti pots to help reduce congestion and minimize the risk of mouth breathing. 

When to See a Dentist

Although some adverse oral health effects of allergy medication can be managed, others require a visit to a dental professional to provide full treatment and prescribe further medication. 

Recognizing Severe Dry Mouth or Irritation

If you have chronic bad breath, repeated gum inflammation or sensitivity, or potential tooth decay or infection, it’s time to schedule a visit to the dentist as soon as possible. Left untreated, these issues could lead to more severe dental problems such as loss of teeth and severe gum disease. 

Regular Checkups and Professional Advice

Regular checkups and cleanings can also help detect any potential early signs of oral health damage caused by allergies or allergy medications. Dentists can check for dry mouth symptoms and recommend products and treatments. You should schedule regular checkups with your dentist once every six months, but more frequent visits may be needed if you’re dealing with side effects from allergies.

Don’t Let Allergies Negatively Impact Your Oral Health

Dryness, bad breath, and gum discomfort are all potential side effects of seasonal allergies and allergy medicine. Thankfully, you can limit the effects of these symptoms by practicing good oral hygiene, staying hydrated, using medicine appropriately, and consulting with your dentist about the best treatment plan. 

If you notice persistent oral health symptoms that may be related to seasonal allergies, contact Ideal Dental today to set up a consultation.