Can Dental Allergies Cause Swelling of the Lips or Tongue?

Dental allergies are an immune system response to materials used in dental procedures. Symptoms can include swelling of the tongue and lips, a burning sensation, and gum irritation. These symptoms are often mistaken for side effects of dental treatments, making it difficult to recognize dental allergies. Allergic reactions (hypersensitivity reactions) are caused by an inadequate response of the immune system to a normally harmless substance.

Common symptoms include sneezing, tearing and itchy eyes, and swelling of the lips. The cause of the swelling may be due to sensitivity to certain foods or beverages, medications, lipstick, or irritants in the air. However, the cause of the swelling is often unknown. One of the most serious allergic reactions is anaphylaxis. Symptoms include chest tightness and swelling of the tongue, lips, and respiratory tract.

Standard baseline tests are not usually useful for diagnosing contact allergies to dental hygiene products, as they do not include common allergens found in these products.