Allergies are common health problems affecting a lot of people globally. There are several forms of allergies: food allergies, dust allergies, sting allergies, and eye allergies. It is vital to find remedies for these allergies since they may be fatal. However, it's unfortunate that some allergy medications have negative effects to your oral health. Let us find out how allergy treatment can affect your teeth and what you can do about it.
How Does Allergy Medication Affect Your Teeth
An antihistamine, a common medication for allergies, may cause stains on the teeth by reacting with the tooth dentine beneath the enamel, giving the tooth a dull look. This drug also causes dry mouth since it reduces the production of saliva. When there is less saliva in your mouth, it interferes with your ingestion, leaving some food particles in your mouth. These particles can easily attract cavity-causing bacteria or plaque, leading to oral infections. Sadly, most drugs also contain sugar, which provides a favorable breeding ground for plaque that may harden your teeth, leaving them brown-yellow. We advise against taking these drugs after brushing/flossing or during bedtime. This is because the drugs are highly concentrated in your mouth, putting you at risk of erosion of the tooth enamel and oral disorders.
How To Mitigate The Impact of Allergy Medication
First, you can make sure to rinse your mouth with clean water, then use a mouthwash containing fluoride to prevent the chances of tooth decay. You can also avoid liquid drugs and opt for tablets since they interact less with your teeth. Lastly, you can use artificial saliva to keep your mouth moist or chew sugar-free gum to produce more saliva. The essence of saliva is to clean your mouth and wash away any traces of the medication. To help improve your oral health, contact us to learn more about allergy medications and dental hygiene. For more information about related topics follow the links below: Dental Exam Dental Filling Dental Sealants Oral Health Education
Thank you for trusting us with your oral health. Give us a call at (650) 321-9693.
2875 Middlefield Rd, Suite #1 Palo Alto, CA 94306-2548
Allergies are common health problems affecting a lot of people globally. There are several forms of allergies: food allergies, dust allergies, sting allergies, and eye allergies. It is vital to find remedies for these allergies since they may be fatal. However, it's unfortunate that some allergy medications have negative effects to your oral health. Let us find out how allergy treatment can affect your teeth and what you can do about it.
