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Hay fever is an ongoing condition caused by pollen. It is an allergy to various types of pollen that naturally occur during the summer months, and they can be very disruptive to peoples lives. A runny nose, runny eyes, breathing issues, and general fatigue can all be associated with hay fever, but you may not know that there are certain dental issues that take place too.

There are a handful of issues that you might associate with hay fever, some of which can affect your teeth and mouth. Let’s take a look at some of the most common problems caused by hay fever, as well as what you can do about them.

Teeth Pain

Teeth pain can be experienced by people at the peak of a hay fever flareup, but it is not often something we associate with the condition. The pain in your teeth could be related to the buildup of mucus that hay fever generates. As the hollow spaces in your sinuses are filled, extra pressure is placed on the upper molars, which in turn will cause pain. If you are experiencing unusual sensitivity to extreme temperature, or pain that persists when you are both sitting down and lying down, you may need to consider hay fever as the cause.

A Dry Mouth

As a general rule, your mouth should not be dry. Saliva helps to prevent bad oral health, which means that when your mouth is dry, bacteria and food are more likely to remain inside the gaps between your teeth and cause problems. Disease, bad breath and cavities are all consequences of a dry mouth. Hay fever can contribute to dry mouth because you are more likely to breathe through the mouth if the nose is blocked. Furthermore, many antihistamines reduce the production of saliva as a natural side-effect.

How to Treat Hay Fever-Driven Dental Problems

There are a broad selection of things that you can do to treat hay fever related dental problems. Staying hydrated is often a good way to counteract the dry mouth problem, taking regular antihistamines will reduce the effects of hay fever overall, and visiting a dentist is always recommended to make sure that it is connected to hay fever, and not the beginning of an underlying problem.

Final Thoughts

Hay fever can be responsible for many of the dental conditions that you grapple with. It is important to visit a dentist if any of these conditions do occur, simply because many common problems can also be disguised by hay fever. Being proactive and taking antihistamines to reduce your symptoms will hopefully lead to a decrease in the number of problems you have, but do not hesitate to contact a dentist if you require more help. Ultimately, it is in your best interest to construct a long-term strategy for dealing with hayfever, as if you do suffer with it each year, you will need to mitigate it effectively in order to prevent consistent problems.