How to Fight Allergies with Toothpaste

June is the peak month for grass pollens and if you have allergies, you’ve probably noticed. But fear not, for there is a new and innovative allergy treatment: toothpaste.

Specifically, a toothpaste called Allerdent. Unlike most allergy medications, it doesn’t just help with the symptoms. Its goal is to make you immune to your allergen.

It works like this-- you contact your doctor or pharmacy and let them know what you want to become unallergic to. They mix up a batch of Allerdent that contains that very allergen. Then, every time you brush your teeth, your immune system is exposed to small doses of the allergen. This helps you build up resistance and, if all goes well, puts an end to your allergic reaction. Basically, it works the same as allergy shots but has two major upsides--

1. No needles.

2. For allergy shots to work, they require three to five years of treatment. Most people drop out before actually completing this. But brushing your teeth is something you already do every day (hopefully). So you don’t have to change your routine.

The allergens are absorbed by the mucus membranes beneath your tongue. For the treatment to work properly, you’re supposed to hold the toothpaste in your mouth for two minutes-- the same length of time dentists recommend you brush your teeth.