SPRING seems to have sprung here in the Tennessee Valley and we couldn’t be more excited! Just yesterday our cars were covered with pollen Chirping birds, blooming flowers, and warmer weather are just a few of the things we look forward to when spring comes around. We have to admit though, there is one thing about the season that’s not particularly appealing, and that’s allergies. Seems the last few years spring has also been signaled by extreme weather, how about the size of that hail last week. Savannah had golf ball-sized hailstones in their yards! Chattanooga can be a tough place to live if you have allergies. Almost every year we see the pollen count soar into the stratosphere with numbers above 3000 this is an extremely rare occurrence in the world! Remember 150 is extremely high!
Be Aware Of These Dental Side Effects During Allergy Season
Many of you have experienced it, red, itchy, and watery eyes and the constant sneezing and congestion. The effects of seasonal allergies can go even further, however, and may even affect your oral health! Here are some mouth-related symptoms to be on the lookout for when seasonal allergies strike.
Tooth Pain
When your body reacts to allergens in the air, you often end up with congested sinuses. Sinus pressure in the maxillary sinuses can sometimes cause the upper molars to ache. Treating your allergies and congestion should relieve tooth pain. If the pain persists, however, make an appointment with your dentist. It’s important to make sure any aching teeth aren’t the result of tooth decay. If you have tooth pain don’t come to the dentist it doesn’t always mean you need a root canal this time of year it seems we see as many sinus infections and toothaches.
Bad Breath
All that mucus your body is creating can also be bad news for your breath. When you’re congested, mucus from the sinuses leaks into the back of the throat–we call this “post-nasal drip.” Not only can post-nasal drip lead to a sore throat, but it can also be the cause of persistent bad breath.
Dry Mouth
Many of you will reach for antihistamines to keep your allergies under control this spring. As helpful as they are, they can often lead to an unpleasant side effect: dry mouth. Saliva is our number one defense against cavity-causing bacteria, so when your mouth is dry, you have a higher risk of developing tooth decay. If you are using a decongestant like Sudafed make sure to drink plenty of water to help keep your mouth moist.
Protect Your Mouth This Spring From Seasonal Allergies
We want your mouth to stay healthy, even during allergy season. Here are some helpful tips to help you protect your mouth this spring:
- Continue to practice good oral hygiene. Brush at least twice a day, and floss on a daily basis!
- Take allergy medication as recommended by your physician, but remember to drink plenty of water to compensate for dry mouth.
- Try gargling with salt water to help with congestion. Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a full glass of warm water and gargle for a few seconds before spitting it out.
- To get a more in-depth look at what causes those pesky allergies and what you can do to avoid them, check out the video below!
Don’t Let Allergies Get The Best Of You
We know how difficult spring can be for some of our patients because of allergies. Keep practicing good oral hygiene and call us if you need anything! We’re here to get you through allergy season with a smile on your face.
All this talk about allergies reminds us of a funny thing that happens in Chattanooga all the time. People confuse our own Dr. Mark McOmie with Dr. Marc Cromie. The funny thing is Dr. Cromie is an allergist. These two Dr’s can tell hilarious stories about people asking Dr. McOmie about allergies and Dr. Cromie about teeth. What are the odds their names could possibly be this close?
Thank you for ACHOO-sing our Chattanooga dental practice! (Gesundheit…. Dr. Mark just got back from a dental show in Germany) Any questions give us a call at McOmie Family Dentistry at 423-899-1112! Look for next week’s blog on Dr. McOmie’s dental convention trip to Germany. We promise it will not disappoint.
