What are the possible things behind an itchy mouth?
Do you feel a chronic itching sensation in your mouth? Does the tingling sensation radiate to the throat and ear canal? Don’t worry. They are the symptoms of itchy mouth that occur due to bacterial or viral infections. Meanwhile, such itchiness in the mouth can be caused by your body’s allergic reactions to foods, medications, and other things you intake. Besides these, various aspects are associated with this problem with which the itchiness also ranges from mild to severe.
In this post, our dentists have explored the possible root causes of itchy mouth. The treatment options to get rid of this problem also vary depending on the underlying cause.
1) Oral Allergy Syndrome
Oral Allergy Syndrome is a kind of food allergy and it causes mild discomforts such as odd taste in the mouth, itching in root canals often that lasts up to 20 minutes. Dentists observe the food allergic reactions cause a burning sensation in mouth, lips, tongue, and throat. In most cases, teenagers and adults encounter this allergic reaction.
As proteins in some foods are similar to allergenic proteins found in certain pollens such as ragweed, grass, and others, our body will cause an allergic reaction after consuming such foods. Hence this allergic reaction is also known as pollen-food syndrome. Eating raw foods especially nuts & certain vegetables can cause such allergies. Other food items linked to OAS include:
- Apples
- Celery
- Eggs
- Fish
- Soy
2) Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that requires immediate care. When we are exposed to certain kinds of allergens (for instance, bee stings, latex), our immune system becomes hypersensitive. Later it emits various discomforts like tingling, itching sensation & swelling in the mouth.
The other symptoms we can notice in the initial stage of Anaphylaxis include:
- Watery eyes
- Nausea
- Hives
- Runny nose
When this allergic reaction progresses, it will affect the entire body by reducing blood pressure. It is followed by depleting oxygen required for the functioning of organs inside our body and causes problems like:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Hives
- Difficulties in breathing
- Abdominal pain
- Tight sensation in your throat
- Loss of consciousness
- Diarrhea
3) Cold Sores
Cold Sores are fluid-filled blisters developed around the mouth by a virus called herpes simplex. It is a highly contagious condition and can be easily transmitted with close contacts, such as kissing. When the infection takes place, it exhibits the tingling sensation in your mouth before the red-colored blisters are formed.
This is a benign condition and will hinder within 2 weeks.
4) Oral Thrush
Oral Thrush happens due to the overgrowth of a bacteria called Candida Yeasts over mucous membrane linings in the mouth. It is identified with thick, white-colored patches in various regions of oral cavity such as inner cheeks, tongue, palette, etc. Likewise, itching sensation in the infected regions is another effect of this problem.
Remember that the tingling sensation in your mouth due to oral thrush occurs as a side effect of the following things:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- weakened immune system
- Side effect of antibiotics
Bottom line
When you visit a dental doctor for itchy mouth treatments, he/she would perform a culture test to diagnose the root cause. Then the dentists customize a treatment plan and prescribe medications depending on the underlying cause.
In the meantime, various activities similar to proper brushing and flossing will help you to prevent such itchness within your mouth. Contact our dentists to know more about those prevention tips.
