What will happen if you are allergic to your toothpaste?

Toothpaste allergy is an uncommon condition but is happening to some people. About 0.1 to 0.3% of people exhibit allergic reactions to toothpaste. Itching sensation around the mouth is a notable sign. In general, allergies occur when our immune system reacts to a foreign, but harmless substance.

As toothpaste contains a multitude of ingredients, you might encounter an allergic reaction if any of the additives are sensitive to your body. Here our oral hygienists have discussed the important things regarding toothpaste allergies.

What are the allergens a toothpaste contains?

The flavoring agents in toothpaste are responsible for allergies in most cases. Whether it is natural additives like peppermint or synthetic chemicals like saccharin or sorbitol, they have hazardous effects on the skin in people who are allergic.

Similarly, some people do not face irritations due to the sweetening agents but with other elements in toothpaste as follows:

• Parabens (preservative)
• Propylene glycol (preservative)
• Cocamidopropyl betaine (foaming agent)
• Gluten (To stabilize and thicken the toothpaste)
• Fluoride
• Essential oils

Water (20 to 40%) and abrasives (50%) are the main components of toothpaste whereas the ingredients are added to increase the cleaning agent’s efficiency. However, those constituents have a low degree of sensitization so they do not trigger any problems in most instances.

What are the signs and symptoms of toothpaste allergy?

Dermatitis on lips is the most common side effect that happens with the irritation of a toothpaste substance. It appears as cracked lips with a reddish, rash surrounding. Besides this, soreness, burning sensation, and inflammation in the mouth also happen.

Essential oils, Cocamidopropyl betaine, and Parabens lead to Dermatitis whereas Gluten causes itching and inflammatory response inside the mouth, especially in throat. The flavoring agents also cause rashes, itchiness, and fluid-filled blisters.

Even though toothpaste contains potential allergens, the irritations triggered by fluoride occur rarely. If your body is sensitive to fluoride, then bodily disorders like muscle pain, nausea, frequent vomiting, and stomach upsets also occur.

What should you do if your toothpaste causes allergic reactions?

You should change the flavor or brand of the toothpaste once you sense allergic reactions. However, it is quite hard to pinpoint the exact thing in your toothpaste behind the irritations. We have found certain ingredients in mouthwashes, face washes, and cosmetic appliances like lipsticks also cause contact dermatitis.

Hence it is better to consult your dentist before changing the toothpaste.

How do dentists diagnose toothpaste allergies?

Dental doctors conduct a test called TRUE (Thin-Layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous) patch test to detect toothpaste irritations. This is the best way to detect allergic contact dermatitis.

It involves placing a small amount of allergens are placed on the skin of your back and covered with adhesive sheets. The allergens stay on the back for around 48 hours. After that, they are taken and evaluated. It is followed by further assessments again in 72 hours and 96 hours respectively. If there is any redness, mild swelling, and blisters at a specific site in the chemical, it indicates the patient is allergic to a particular substance in his/her toothpaste.

It helps the doctor to prescribe the right toothpaste devoid of the detected allergens.

Popular brands manufacture a variety of toothpaste such as gluten-free toothpaste, flavorless toothpaste, fluoride-less toothpaste, and much more to help people encountering toothpaste allergies. So you can get rid of this problem easily.

Bottom line

Toothpaste allergy occurs if you have allergies to any ingredient in the toothpaste you are using. Contact dermatitis is the most common allergic response exhibited by toothpaste. Your dentist will help you to identify the allergen in your toothpaste and get you the right solution to eliminate this trouble.