Millions of us suffer from allergies, but there's a new way to treat them without shots. Instead, you can use a special toothpaste.
Ann Wallace has been suffering from allergies for 15 years.
"Living with allergies is very painful and uncomfortable," Wallace told News 6 sister station WPLG. "You wake up every morning and your head hurts. It feels like your head is exploding."
Wallace turned to Dr. Lee Mandel for help, because she was tired of taking medications and didn't have the time for weekly allergy shots.
Mandel suggested Allerdent, a toothpaste infused with the same allergy blockers found in shots.
You do need to have allergy testing conducted before you get the toothpaste so they can customize the toothpaste accordingly. It includes the same protein that you're allergic to.
Wallace uses the paste once a day and likes the convenience of brushing her teeth and treating her allergies at the same time. She said her life has completely improved.
"I can wake up, no headaches," Wallace said. "I don't have to pop medication. I can do the things I enjoy doing--boating, soccer games, football games. I can go for a walk on the beach and don't have to suffer."
Unfortunately, at this point, the allergy toothpaste is not covered by most insurance companies.
It costs about $100 per month, but with deductibles and co-payments, it ends up costing about the same as some allergy shots.
Patients usually start seeing results after the first month or so.