Is there any allergy in the mouth? The pathological immune response of the body makes life difficult for many people. The causative agents of allergies can be a variety of factors. For this condition, a feeling of discomfort, external changes, pain is characteristic. Allergies in the oral cavity cause particular inconvenience, but, in addition, it can carry a serious threat to life.
What may be an allergic reaction in the mouth
We are talking about an increased sensitivity of the body to various substances against the background of changes in the reactivity of the immune system. Allergy in the mouth has a variety of clinical forms. This disease can occur in different ways, which means that there may also be several treatment options.
Conventionally, any allergic reactions, the manifestations of which are found in the oral cavity, are divided into two categories. The first includes dangerous, life-threatening reactions of an immediate type, and the second - an allergy of delayed development.
The most dangerous types of allergies
Anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema are complex body reactions that require immediate medical attention. Anyone who doubts whether there may be an allergy in the mouth should first of all understand the consequences of anaphylaxis or angioedema. And although this degree of reaction occurs quite rarely, its manifestations are mainly localized in the face and oral cavity.
Quincke's edema develops in a few minutes, and the disease declares itself immediately after a provoking allergen enters the body. Exotic foods, medicines used for internal and external treatment can provoke life-threatening edema. Quincke's edema can be recognized not only by rapid progression, but also by external symptoms. Allergy in the mouth involves the accumulation of exudative fluid in the connective tissue of the lips, mucous membrane of the tongue, and larynx. Puffiness itself is elastic, but the tissues in the swelling zone are very tense, swell and become motionless. The reaction can be observed for several hours or days, but then disappears without a trace without any intervention.
Slow Type Immune Response
This type of allergy is developing not so fast. What are the symptoms of allergies in the mouth? (See photo above)? As a rule, it manifests itself as contact stomatitis and toxic-allergic drug lesions of the oral mucosa of a focal and general nature.
Anything can be the cause of this type of allergic reaction. Most often it occurs due to wearing uncomfortable and inappropriate prostheses, the use of medical dressings and applications. For example, chemicals, medicines, cosmetics, synthetic or organic materials of prostheses (plastic, metal, amalgam) can provoke stomatitis. Similar symptoms in the oral cavity can occur with syphilis, mycotic, parasitic lesions, and other infectious diseases.
A delayed-type allergy is externally manifested by catarrhal-hemorrhagic or gallbladder-erosive changes in the mucosa. A severe form of pathology is considered to be ulcerative necrotic stomatitis, exudative erythema, chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, etc.
Pathology on the lips
Cheilitis is referred to reactions localized in the area of the oral cavity. Often this disease does not occur on its own, but is only part of an allergic symptom complex. With cheilitis, which has arisen due to the influence of a provoking factor, lip swelling appears on the external or internal side, ulcers, blistering rashes, and peeling are possible. The skin on the lips with allergies itches and cracks, which is accompanied by unpleasant painful sensations. Patients experience discomfort when eating, talking, smiling. Allergic cheilitis is often diagnosed in smokers and lovers of invasive cosmetic procedures.
Internal lesions of the oral cavity
An allergy in the oral cavity in the tongue is manifested by inflammation of the soft tissues, which is called glossitis. If the pathology is caused by an allergic factor, the surface of the tongue will be dry and smooth, and teeth marks will be visible on it.
Rarely enough, the immune response leads to gum damage, but with a severe course of pathology, inflammatory processes affect this part of the oral cavity. Gingivitis develops due to an allergic reaction. Inflammation does not affect the integrity of the dental ligaments and gingival joints. The pathological process proceeds directly in the gum. Usually gingivitis is a consequence of the activity of pathogenic microflora that accumulates in the gum pocket along with plaque, but in some cases, gum disease can be of an allergic nature. It is necessary to treat the disease with topical and systemic drugs.
The pathological process against the background of an allergic reaction of the body can develop in the area of soft and hard palate. This phenomenon is called contact palatinitis. It occurs, as a rule, after recent dental procedures, as a reaction to a filling material containing silver amalgam, metal, acrylic or plastic prostheses. Moreover, an allergy in the mouth becomes noticeable not immediately, but after a few days. Palatinitis is manifested by swelling, hyperemia of the upper palate, hemorrhage, point erosion.
What causes an allergic reaction in the oral cavity?
In an adult, stomatitis, gingivitis, palatinitis, cheilitis and other manifestations develop, as a rule, not as a result of a food allergic reaction. Usually, other factors cause pathology:
- individual intolerance of filling materials, crowns and prostheses;
- the use of various mouthwashes, toothpastes;
- the use of sulfanilamide and antibacterial drugs;
- playing wind musical instruments;
- the presence of carious foci;
- bleeding gums, inflammation.
Before making a diagnosis, it is necessary to differentiate a number of diseases with allergies in the mouth. In the photo, the symptoms may not differ, but some diseases have other specific symptoms. Rashes in the mouth can occur with Lyme disease, lupus erythematosus, asthma, functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and endocrine diseases.
Features of allergies in children
Unlike adults, in children, stomatitis is a common reaction of the body to food. Ulcers can also occur due to contact with pollen of plants, taking medications. A child’s mouth allergy often occurs after playing with pets, as children often pull unwashed hands in their mouths. Also, one can not ignore that in children, as in adults, filling material can cause allergies.
The course of allergic stomatitis in babies is associated with a number of features. Due to an immature and imperfect immune system, the disease usually manifests itself in a more severe form. Often a child is brought to the doctor already with a running form of stomatitis, because parents underestimate the danger of small sores in the mouth, and some do not suggest that they can be a symptom of an allergic reaction.
In children, an allergy in the oral cavity often proceeds with a complication due to the attachment of a secondary infection. The mucous membrane of a child is thin and sensitive, bleeding cracks quickly appear on it - pathways for pathogens to enter. The difficulty lies in the treatment of allergies in the oral mucosa, since it is quite difficult to choose effective and at the same time safe drugs for the child.
Symptoms of contact stomatitis
As already noted, allergic stomatitis is the most common form of damage to the oral mucosa. What does an allergy look like in your mouth? Outwardly, such stomatitis is not much different from aphthous: painful reddish sores form on the surface of the mucosa. Patients experience severe burning, itching, pain when touching the wound with the tongue, eating food. Moreover, the general condition usually does not suffer.
During the examination, the dentist notices hyperemia and swelling of the mucosa, on the lateral surface of the tongue and cheeks, fingerprints are visually visible. With allergic stomatitis, the tongue may become inflamed in patients, sometimes the papillae are hypertrophied. In parallel with stomatitis, catarrhal gingivitis often occurs.
Before making a diagnosis, the doctor conducts a differential diagnosis with diseases that may be accompanied by similar symptoms:
- chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- vitamin deficiency (with a deficiency of vitamins of groups B and C);
- endocrine pathologies;
- diabetes mellitus;
- candidiasis of the oral cavity.
In what form can leak
Signs of an allergy in the mouth depend on the type of stomatitis. The disease can occur in various forms, for example:
- catarrhal - the inflammatory process affects only the surface of the mucous membrane;
- catarrhal-hemorrhagic - in addition to superficial inflammation, small foci of hemorrhage are observed;
- bullous - accompanied by edema on the mucous surfaces and the formation of vesicles;
- erosive - erosion forms at the site of the opening vesicles;
- ulcerative necrotic - the most severe form of stomatitis, in which the tissues of the affected areas die.
Allergic stomatitis can progress very quickly or develop within a few days. There may not be any allergy in the oral cavity during the first few days. If during this time the allergen can be eliminated, a pathological reaction may not occur.
Additional signs
Sometimes an allergic reaction in the oral cavity manifests itself in a special way. Instead of stomatitis and its typical manifestations, dry mouth can develop. An allergy of a catarrhal or catarrhal-hemorrhagic form is also manifested by uncomfortable sensations and a feeling of pain during eating, dullness of the taste reaction.
If you pay attention to the patient’s language, then with a catarrhal form of allergy, its surface shines, and with hemorrhagic it becomes darker and dull due to hemorrhages in the structure of the mucous layer. If, as a result of contact with an allergen, bubbles form on the mucous membrane in the mouth, this means that the pathology is progressing and has turned into a bullous form. The main symptom of erosive stomatitis with fibrinous coating is the appearance of painful sores resembling blisters, which after a while merge into one large erosive lesion. Against the background of the development of the disease, the patient's health can significantly deteriorate, weakness will arise, the body temperature will increase and the appetite will disappear.
The most dangerous form of allergic stomatitis is ulcerative necrotic. If no measures are taken to treat the disease, the likelihood of its development is especially high. With the ulcerative-necrotic form, there is a strong reddening of the surface of the mucosa, many ulcerative erosions and necrotic foci with dense fibrous plaque of a grayish-yellow hue form on it. The patient experiences severe unbearable pain while talking or eating, intense salivation is noted. This form of allergic stomatitis can be accompanied by an increase in body temperature to subfebrile values, an increase in lymph nodes under the jaw and behind the ears, headache and dizziness.
How to treat an allergy in the oral cavity
Each form of stomatitis has not only specific symptoms, but also a special treatment tactic. All types of this disease can lead to the development of serious disorders in the functioning of the nervous system. The patient becomes tense, irritable, emotionally unstable, insomnia occurs, carcinophobia appears (fear of getting cancer).
Depending on the cause of the allergy to the mucous membrane in the oral cavity, a treatment plan is determined. First of all, with allergic stomatitis, it is necessary to eliminate the allergen that provokes a pathological reaction of the body. In addition, it is important to create a healthy hypoallergenic diet and stop taking medications that cause unpleasant symptoms. Instead, they will have to take antihistamines and immunomodulators. An important role for the treatment of allergies in the mouth is played by the right choice of toothpaste and rinse aid.
To cure mouth ulcers, the following drugs are prescribed to the patient:
- antiallergic drugs (“Loratadin”, “Chloropyramine”, “Suprastin” and others);
- vitamin-mineral complexes containing folic acid;
- local anesthetic sprays and gels for irrigation of the oral cavity (Hexoral, Lidocaine Asept, Instillagel, Kamistad);
- antiseptic agents for local treatment of affected areas of the mucosa (Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, Furacilin).
Along with these drugs, other medications can be prescribed to treat the underlying disease, against which an allergic reaction has developed. Sea buckthorn oil helps a lot - this natural remedy is used without any contraindications even for children.
If an allergy occurs in the oral cavity, it is imperative to consult a dentist. If the cause of the pathological reaction was filling material, dental implants or braces, they cannot be eliminated or replaced.
Preparations for children, home remedies
If the doctor makes sure that the child has an allergic reaction, he will also be prescribed antihistamines (in accordance with age and the absence of contraindications), vitamins and local painkillers. For the treatment of allergies in children in the mouth is suitable:
- "Kalgel" with lidocaine and cetylpyridinium chloride in the composition.
- "Dentol Baby" - an analgesic with benzocaine.
- Dentinox based on chamomile and lidocaine.
Also, children and adults are recommended to use folk remedies. Aloe juice will help relieve inflammation and prevent the multiplication of pathogenic microflora - they treat the affected areas. For the same purpose, they use gruel from raw potatoes, and rinse the mouth with cabbage juice diluted with water to eliminate itching. Another effective tool is a solution with hydrogen peroxide, which is prepared as follows: take 1 tsp. In one glass of boiled water. hydrogen peroxide. For allergic stomatitis, you can also make applications with tincture of propolis, a decoction of chamomile and oak bark.
Prevention
If you start treatment in a timely manner and prevent the development of complications, you can cope with allergies in a week. To prevent its occurrence, it is important to pay attention to hygiene and sanitation of the oral cavity, to change orthodontic designs, fillings, prostheses in time and to choose them taking into account the individual characteristics of the body, to give preference to hypoallergenic safe materials.