Allergy Immunotherapy
+ What is allergy?
Allergies happen when your immune system goes full-defense mode in response to a usually harmless allergen in your environment— like pollen, mold spores, or household pets.
Allergies are inflammatory reactions of the immune system in response to an otherwise harmless protein from the environment. The proteins that cause allergic reactions, known as “allergens,” can be contacted in everyday activities - often by simply breathing. Common sources of inhaled allergens include pollens from trees, grasses, and weeds. Other sources include mold spores, dust mites, cockroaches, cats, and dogs. There are hundreds of known allergens that can cause annoying symptoms like coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and scratchy throat. An allergic person will often suffer these symptoms from multiple allergens.
+ What is allergy immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy works by gradually exposing the immune system to your specific environmental irritants, building tolerance over time. For decades, physicians have done this using “allergy shots”—regular injections of allergens. However, the lining of your mouth is now a known alternative to shots— it’s very rich in immune cells for immunotherapy, making it just as effective, and even safer.
Allergy immunotherapy builds tolerance in your immune system to specific allergens by exposing the immune system to the allergens on a regular basis. Regular exposure to small doses of allergens can help the immune system overcome its mistaken drive to overreact in the presence of harmless allergens. Over a period of time, immunotherapy changes the immune system so that it is more “tolerant” of the allergens. As an allergic person’s immune tolerance to those allergens grows, the allergies and their symptoms will gradually diminish, sometimes to the point that they are not noticed anymore. Importantly, immunotherapy may also have important additional therapeutic and preventative effects on conditions that often go along with allergies, like asthma.
Historically, immunotherapy has usually been accomplished with regular injections of small amounts of allergen (“allergy shots”). The oral tissues in the mouth are a known alternative to injections, as the important immune cells for immunotherapy are plentiful there. Accordingly, immunotherapy using allergens placed against the oral tissues, are a well known safe and effective alternative for those who do not want injections.
+ How is allergy immunotherapy different from allergy medications like Claritin®, Zyrtec®, Allegra®, Xyzal®, Benadryl®, nasal steroids and decongestants?
Allergy medications treat the symptoms. Immunotherapy treats the problem. It reverses the cause of your allergies rather than temporarily relieving them.
Antihistamines and other allergy medications are anti-inflammatory treatments that focus on limiting the symptoms (inflammatory reactions) that are triggered by an allergen. Allergy immunotherapy, on the other hand, is a treatment that aims to change or reverse the specific root cause of the allergy rather than temporarily modifying the general symptoms. For that reason, immunotherapy is referred to as a “disease modifying therapy.”
+ Is allergy immunotherapy effective?
Yes, and it’s backed by tons of medical research. A 2016 study found that just 12 months of brushing reduced both symptoms of allergies and the use of OTC medications, improving quality of life.
It is well known that the tissues in the mouth are important for helping to program the immune system, and for reprogramming an immune system that has errors in the form of allergies.
Medical research has demonstrated that when allergenic proteins are introduced to the oral cavity, they are contacted and processed by immune cells that are embedded in the oral tissues. A 2016 study demonstrated that 12 months of allergy immunotherapy delivered while tooth brushing was able to reduce symptoms of respiratory allergies, reduce the use of symptom medications, and improve the quality of life in allergy patients. The therapeutic effect was comparable to sublingual immunotherapy, which is globally considered a gold standard allergy immunotherapy.
+ How long should I use allergy immunotherapy?
You should notice an improvement within the first 3-6 months of treatment, but the longer you keep at it, the better. By keeping up your daily schedule over three to five years, results can last for decades — but your doctor will always be the one to tell you when it’s okay to stop.
Staying committed to your doctor-recommended administration plan is one of the most important success factors for allergy immunotherapy. Allergy immunotherapy patients often notice symptom relief within 1 year or even within a few months of regular use. Allergy immunotherapy’s therapeutic benefit may not become permanent until 3-5 years, after which it may be possible to halt the therapy while still retaining the therapeutic benefit. For optimal results with allergy immunotherapy, it is important that you maintain a daily schedule of self administration and continue treatment even after you notice reduced symptoms, until your doctor tells you to stop.
Easily™
+ What is Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste?
Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste a safe, effective, and convenient allergy treatment. Your doctor mixes those allergens into your Easily™ allergy toothpaste according to your allergies. As a result, you can use this treatment to self-administer allergens. And since brushing your teeth is an everyday activity, it’s easier to stick to treatment!
Easily™ gives you access to a specially formulated toothpaste designed to incorporate and stabilize allergens. Your doctor will test you for which allergens are causing your allergies, and then mix those allergens into your Easily™ toothpaste according to your allergies. As a result, you can use Easily™ to self-administer allergens to your oral mucosa during your daily habit of tooth brushing. Because toothbrushing is an activity that most everybody engages in daily, your ability to stick to a long-term, daily administration schedule is made much easier.
+ How do I use Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste?
Use Easily Allergy Toothpaste like any regular toothpaste. As long as you use two pumps daily, you can brush your teeth with regular toothpaste at other times of the day. When brushing, make sure you do it for at least two minutes! Without any spitting in between. Once you’re good on time, it’s okay to rinse with water.
One container of Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste should last for approximately three months. Let your doctor know if you're running out too soon. The recommended daily dose is two pumps daily for both children and adults. You may choose to use the full dose at one daily brushing and a normal toothpaste at the other daily brushing. Alternatively, you can choose to split the daily dose and use one pump at each of two daily brushings (morning/night). Your doctor may recommend using a lower introductory dose of Easily™ allergy toothpaste, such as one pump daily, for a period of time before increasing to two pumps daily.
To dispense properly and completely, the pump button must be pressed down all the way each time it is used. Occasionally an air bubble will come out of the dispenser as you press the pump button and, with it, a reduced amount of toothpaste. If that happens, use an additional press of the pump button to be sure you have the right amount of toothpaste for that session. It is important that each brushing should last for 2 minutes without spitting in between. If brushing for 2 minutes is difficult, the foam should be retained in your mouth for as long as possible after brushing, up to a total of 2 minutes. It's OK to rinse out your mouth after brushing. If you forget to brush for a day, resume the next day by brushing with your regular dose.
+ Are there side effects from using Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste?
You might feel a bit of tingling, itching, or mild swelling when you start brushing, but these subside within the first weeks.
It is common to experience some tingling, itching, or mild swelling inside the mouth when first using Easily™. These effects will usually diminish over a few weeks of use. If you are very sick (enough that you are staying home from work or school), use your regular toothpaste instead. Do not engage in vigorous exercise for one hour before or after using Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste. Avoid using the product for a week after oral surgery.
+ Can Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste replace my normal toothpaste?
Our toothpaste contains the same ingredients used in standard toothpaste. Your physician can even add fluoride so that it can do everything a regular toothpaste can!
Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste is a fully functional toothpaste that cleans your teeth. It contains the same ingredients used in standard toothpastes and your physician can even request fluoride be added, such that it will behave, taste, and smell like standard toothpastes. Patients can choose to brush with the full dose once a day as indicated by a doctor, or split the full dose between two brushings (morning/night). If you choose to brush with the full dose once a day, your other brushing is done with normal toothpaste.
+ What ingredients are in Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste?
Ingredients found in any other toothpaste!
In addition to the specific allergens and fluoride that may be added to your personalized Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste by your doctor, the toothpaste also contains the following ingredients:
Glycerin USP, Deionized water, Synthetic Amorphous Silica, Silica, Trisodium Phosphate FCC, Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate USP, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate NF, Carboxymethylcellulose USP, Carbomer, Saccharin Sodium USP, Titanium Dioxide USP, and FD&C Green #3.
+ What if someone else accidentally uses a dose of my Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste to brush their teeth?
They might experience some itching or swelling. We recommend that they consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste has been prescribed and personalized for you. Other people should not be allowed to use your Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste. If they are allergic to any of the proteins contained in your Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste prescription, they may experience a reaction such as oral itching or more severe reactions. We recommend having them consult with their physician.
+ Can I bring Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste when I travel?
Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste has been designed to travel with you, well ... easily! The special toothpaste formulation has been demonstrated to stabilize allergenic proteins at room temperature. Just avoid putting your pump in excessive heat, direct sunlight or freezing temperatures to keep those proteins working."
We encourage it! Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste has been designed to travel with you easily, since its formulation has been demonstrated to stabilize allergenic proteins at room temperature. Just avoid heat or freezing storage temperatures to be safe. Easily™ Allergy Toothpaste containers are designed to fall within TSA’s restrictions for bringing liquid/creme containers in your hand luggage when flying through US airports. Find out more on the TSA's website: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-rule