Daryl E. Malena DDS
  Periodontics
10838 Old Mill Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68154
402 330 4100

Allergies to foods or toothpaste ingredients occur and sometimes it is difficult to identify the exact cause.  The symptoms are similar to contact allergy on the skin, but are altered by the uniqueness of the oral environment.  For example, we see red burning areas, but a complaint of itchiness is rare.  When the allergen is not obvious we ask the patient to change only one item in their oral hygiene or diet at a time... otherwise it is hard to figure out which of the deleted items was the cause.

Asthma patients often develop problems from the drugs they need to use.  A typical problem is oral yeast infections that result from the inhalation of corticosteroids that suppress the immune respond in the oral cavity.  Usually we can solve this problem with a simple rinse that the patient can repeat as often as necessary. 

Allergies to metals in the alloys that some crowns are made of (typically nickel--16% of the population has this allergy) can cause redness, swelling and bone destruction around the affected teeth.  When we suspect this we ask about sensitivity to jewelry.  The offending crown does not always have to be replaced. 

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