Spring is a beautiful time of year. Flowers, trees, and plants are all blooming out and coloring the world in color. After a cold, drab winter, spring is a breath of fresh air.

Or not.

For allergy sufferers, spring is often the most dreaded time of year. While beautiful, spring brings the onslaught of allergy symptoms that can make even the loveliest day feel miserable. Nasal congestion, postnasal drip, a sore throat, sneezing, and itchy eyes can be tough to deal with. Lasting for weeks on end, allergies can make many people feel worse than though they had the flu.

Another common symptom of allergies is dry mouth. Dry mouth may not seem like anything more than a nuisance, but it can actually pose serious threats to your oral health. A dry mouth occurs when saliva production decreases significantly, leaving your mouth uncomfortably dry. Symptoms of dry mouth include:

• Frequent thirst
• A dry, sticky feeling inside your mouth
• A sore throat
• Hoarseness
• A dry, raw tongue
• Bad breath
• Cracked lips

Saliva is generally the most unappreciated component of your oral health, yet it plays a massive role in the health of your smile. Saliva is necessary because as it keeps the mouth moist and hydrated, it is also rinsing away oral bacteria that linger inside the mouth. Every day, there are millions of bacteria inside your mouth that live off the particles left behind after you eat and drink. When saliva production is inadequate, these bacteria will cling to your teeth and quickly harden into dental tartar. When dental tartar is left on the teeth, it can cause tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral infections that cause irreversible damage to the smile.

The most used medications for allergy season contain antihistamines. While very good at drying up excess mucus inside your sinuses, they also dry out the mouth. You need to make sure that you drink plenty of water to keep your entire body and your mouth hydrated. While drinking eight 8-oz glasses is the daily recommendation, when you are suffering from dry mouth, it is helpful to bump that number to ten glasses of water per day.

Contact Just Brush My Teeth to learn how to protect your smile this allergy season.