Seasonal allergies can obnoxiously stuff up your day. When the weather starts to warm, sneezes and wheezes are all too common. Toothaches are also common when allergies are in town. See how a toothache, allergies, and sinus pressure go hand-in-hand.
Vog, Allergies, and Sinus Pressure
When it comes to allergies and sinus pressure, Hawaii residents may recall the recent Kilauea volcano eruption. When the volcano erupts, nearby fissures and vents spew sulfur dioxide, which react with the sun and oxygen, creating clouds of volcanic ash, called vog. When the winds pick up, vog can be carried off as far as Oahu. Then when the winds taper off, these hazy clouds flatten and linger, affecting thousands of Hawaii locals, causing respiratory problems, headaches, bronchitis, and sinus pressure.
Your body doesn’t like when you inhale the tiny particles of dust in vog. It tries its best to keep the harmful stuff out. So, it releases chemicals called “histamines” into your body. This results in:
- Runny nose,
- Itchy eyes,
- Sinus pressure,
- And an overall increase in mucus production.
The body’s response to an allergy is to absorb the outside irritant in mucus. This can cause you serious grief. In Hawaii, vog, mango trees, and avocado blooms are the main culprits during allergy season. One woman reported being overwhelmed by the vog and the pain it gave her in her teeth. Her dentist said her sinuses were so inflamed they were “essentially crushing the nerves of [her] teeth.” And that’s exactly why allergies cause a toothache!
Springtime means environmental irritants are out in full force. A side effect of this is more pressure in your maxillary sinus area. That’s located under your cheekbones. Your back molars are also in the same area. They’re in close quarters. So, when there’s pressure built up, tooth pain is almost inevitable.
Don’t Ignore Allergies and Sinus Pressure
Some allergy sufferers link their mouth misery to tooth decay. But they forget that allergies and sinus pressure are related! Your dentist can always tell if it’s simply sinus pressure or something more.
If you have pain in your sinuses or a toothache, the worst thing to do is ignore it. Even though it’s “just allergies,” these problems can seriously impact your quality of life! Lean forward and press your fingers against your cheekbones. If your pain or toothache increases, it’s probably sinus-related.
If you struggle with allergies every year (or all year), create a seasonal game plan with your doctor. This may include antihistamines or nasal rinsing. To see what’s best for your allergy-induced toothache, talk with your dentist and your doctor.
Clues your tooth pain is not from allergies and requires a dental visit:
– You have a history of dental problems.
– Your pain is confined to one specific tooth.
– Tooth pain persists, even after allergy symptoms and pressure has subsided.
Seasonal allergies affect everyone differently. Your dentist and doctor can give you the most accurate diagnose for your specific problems. Don’t wait for the pain to disappear – spring into action! Visit your doctor and dentist if you have tooth pain.
In the meantime, here are some recommendations to help ease your pain:
- A special pigment in apples, green tea, dark berries, onions, and other plants helps the body to slow down the histamine response.
- Vitamin C does this, as well.
- Bromelain, which is found in pineapple, can “calm an over-reactive immune system and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) thins mucous congestion.
To see the pollen count in your area, visit weather.com. Do you have asthma, a respiratory condition, or already know you’re prone to allergies? Review this online vog forecast before heading out.
