Suffering From Peanut Allergies? This New Toothpaste Could Change Things
Clean teeth and, hopefully, a clean bill of health. A new toothpaste is being developed to help people who have potentially life-threatening peanut allergies. Scientists in California tested the toothpaste on 32 adults twice a day for 11 months and found that no one suffered a severe allergic reaction since using the dentifrice.
So, what the heck is in this seemingly magical toothpaste? Turns out it contains a small amount of peanut proteins and by exposing these people to the nuts. Daily Mail reports researchers hope they will become gradually desensitized over time. This type of allergy treatment is called oral immunotherapy and could have allergy sufferers enjoying PB&Js in no time.
Peanut allergies can be severe. Because of that individuals who suffer from it must be very vigilant about avoiding peanuts and peanut-containing products. I have a good friend who suffers from peanut allergies. Hanging out with him is a whole thing haha. It often involves him carefully reading food labels, informing restaurants about the allergy, and being prepared to use an epinephrine auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) in case of accidental exposure leading to shock.
My son is allergic to peanuts. But in a different way. If he eats peanuts, he doesn’t break out or go into shock. Instead he immediately pukes. Like right there on the spot! He ate a peanut butter cookie at a pizza place and he puked all over our pie, no kidding.
I hope there’s something to this study. I can my peanuts back on the plane! Hahaha