Seasonal allergies are not just a nuisance that cause watery eyes and runny noses. They can potentially have an effect on your dental health. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, here is what you need to know about their effect on your teeth and gums.
How Do Allergies Affect Your Dental Health?
Seasonal allergies cause inflammation in several areas of your body, including your sinuses and throat. The inflammation pushes mucus into those areas and can lead to a host of dental problems, including pain. The increased pressure in your sinuses can cause your upper molars to hurt.
You can also experience sore throat. Postnasal drip is often the culprit behind it. Although the pain you experience from the sore throat might be mild, it does lead to bad breath. Brushing your teeth and using mouthwash will have little effect on the bad breath.
Some people experience dry mouth. Dry mouth is particularly bad for your dental health because saliva helps to keep bad bacteria from building up in your mouth. With the decrease in saliva production, you are at risk of developing gum disease and cavities.
What Can You Do?
One of the most important steps you can take is to continue with your dental routine. If you are experiencing dry mouth, consider brushing an additional time throughout the day to help relieve some of the dryness. Avoid using a mouthwash with alcohol. Alcohol can cause further dryness.
You also need to focus on eating foods that are considered anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. Foods, such as green, leafy vegetables and fruits, can help your body fight the allergies. As equally important as what you do eat, you need to be careful about what you do not eat. Foods that are high in sugar and dairy can increase the production of mucus, which leads to more dental problems. Avoid or reduce your intake of those foods.
To fight dry mouth, you need to ensure you are staying hydrated. Drinking water throughout the day not only aids in hydration, but it also helps to thin the mucus that is causing problems.
In addition to these measures, visit your family dentist. He or she can assess your dental condition and ensure that a different underlying condition is not causing your problems. He or she can also recommend products that can help alleviate your symptoms without leading to other dental problems. Talk with a dentist like All About Smiles Incorporated for more information.
Share3 August 2016
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