[Medical Q&A] Can toothpaste cause allergies?

Author: Wu Xuan Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Reviewer: Guo Chunlan, deputy chief physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Yes, the toothpaste that we use daily for brushing teeth may also cause allergies. Some people experience peeling lips, congestion and ulcers in the oral mucosa, red and swollen gums, pain when eating, etc. after changing toothpaste. These symptoms are allergic reactions caused by toothpaste.

Toothpaste is used in contact with the oral cavity every day, which can cause allergic reactions. The most common allergenic ingredients are the fragrances in toothpaste, such as cinnamon, menthol, etc. This often occurs after a certain period of continuous use of a certain toothpaste, usually manifested as: redness of the skin around the mouth, redness and hyperemia of the oral mucosa, swollen gums and scattered hyperemia points. In severe cases, the surface mucosa may peel off or even ulcerate. The patient himself will experience a sense of woodiness, roughness, and pain in the mouth, and the pain will worsen when eating and brushing teeth. This is contact stomatitis caused by toothpaste. It is necessary to stop using it immediately and take the suspected allergic toothpaste to the hospital to see a professional doctor. First, stop using the suspected allergic toothpaste; second, you can apply anti-inflammatory and healing drugs locally; third, you can also take oral anti-allergic drugs. As long as the above three points are achieved, the patient's oral symptoms will recover soon.