Is there really such a thing as a toothpaste allergy?

If you have a toothpaste allergy it can be very hard to diagnose because so many people have never considered the fact that they might be allergic to their toothpaste. Toothpaste allergies are not thought to be common but this could be due to the fact that they are often misdiagnosed or not reported. Toothpaste is made up of various ingredients both natural and chemical that can cause a allergic reaction and in rare cases anaphylactic shock, leading to death.

Toothpaste makers use a lot of additives for color, cleaning, flavor and to aid in digestion. Even though many of these ingredients are in very small amounts anyone with a hypersensitive allergy can tell you it doesn't take much to cause allergic reactions.

Ingredients That May Cause a Toothpaste Allergy

cinnamon
fluoride
aluminum
sodium benzoate
propylene glycol
Papain

Its not just chemicals like fluoride that are responsible for toothpaste allergies, natural ingredients like papain can cause a problem. Papain is derived from papaya and is put into toothpaste as a digestive aid for the small amounts of toothpaste that get ingested.

What are the symptoms?

Though there are a wide variety of symptoms do to all the ingredients the most common are rashes which appear like contact dermatitis. These rashes will usually start in the corner of the mouth and if untreated they slowly spread down the face. Some people will get cankers or sore and inflamed gums especially right after they have brushed. Even some gastrointestinal and respiratory problems can be related to toothpaste allergies.

Switching to a natural toothpaste may not solve your toothpaste allergy and many people may be even more susceptible to allergies if they use a natural toothpaste because they often contain many rare and exotic herbs. If you think that your toothpaste could be causing your allergies don't be afraid to ask your doctor about it.