Why You Need to Rinse and Spit

Did you know there is a connection between oral health and asthma?

When you use an asthma inhaler that has corticosteroids [CORE-te-coh-STAIR-oids] in it, the medicine can stick to the inside of your mouth. When the medicine stays in your mouth, it may cause problems with your teeth, gums, tongue, and cheeks.

Using corticosteroid inhalers can lead to:

• Thrush – a fungal infection on your tongue or cheeks
• Dry mouth
• Gum irritation and swelling
• Cavities (dental caries)
  
  

Examples of inhalers that have corticosteroids include:

• Advair Diskus® and Wixela Inhub® (fluticasone/salmeterol)
• AirDuo® (fluticasone/salmeterol)
• ArmonAir™ Digihaler® (fluticasone propionate)
• ARNUITY® ELLIPTA® (fluticasone furoate)
• Asmanex® Twisthaler® (mometasone)
• Dulera® (mometasone/formoterol) HFA
• Fluticasone propionate (generic version of Flovent)
• Pulmicort® Flexhaler® (budesonide)
• QVAR® RediHaler™ (beclomethasone dipropionate)
• Symbicort® (budesonide/formoterol) HFA
  
  

If you aren’t sure if your inhaler has a corticosteroid in it, contact your doctor.

The good news is you can keep your mouth healthy! After you use your asthma inhaler, rinse your mouth well with water and spit it out or brush your teeth. If you have a child with asthma, they may be more likely to get cavities, so it is important to teach them to rinse and spit after using their asthma inhaler.

If you use a metered dose inhaler, use a spacer. It can help reduce the amount of medicine in your mouth and throat.

Don’t forget to also floss, brush your teeth 2 times a day, and limit sugary foods and drinks. See your dentist 2 times a year so they can make sure your mouth and teeth stay healthy.

Reducing exposure to triggers and allergens is a critical part of controlling asthma and allergy symptoms. And many products promise to help improve indoor air quality and reduce your exposure to asthma and allergy triggers. But some products make false or exaggerated claims. This makes it hard for people to know the best products to use.

AAFA joined with Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) to create the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program. We independently test household products against strict scientific standards. If products pass our tests, they earn the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Mark. When you see this mark, you know the product is proven to be better suited for people with asthma and allergies.

A New Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Mark

The Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program has a new mark! The new Certification Mark is now easier to identify on product packaging and online platforms. This new design will help you quickly find products that meet our strict standards.

The design features a lung shape to represent a connection to breathing and well-being. For the more than 100 million people in the United States with asthma and/or allergies, good respiratory health is critical.

You’ll still see the old mark on certified products until the new mark is fully rolled out.

How Do I Find Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certified Products?

There are more than 200 certified products in the United States. Visit the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Program website to find a list of certified products, including:

• Air cleaners including portable air purifiers and whole home air care systems
• Air filters
• Bedding including pillows, sheets, and pillow and mattress covers
• Cleaning products
• Flooring
• Insulation
• Laundry appliances and detergents
• Paint
• Vacuum cleaners
  

Remember to look for the Asthma & Allergy Friendly® Certification Mark when choosing products. These products are proven to reduce your exposure to indoor asthma and allergy triggers.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Reaffirms Commitment to Protect Vulnerable Communities

On behalf of over 100 million people in the United States with asthma and allergic diseases, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is carefully monitoring and evaluating policy transitions that may affect our community’s health.

Asthma and allergies are chronic and potentially life-threatening conditions affecting almost every household: nearly 1 in 3 adults and more than 1 in 4 U.S. children have seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy. Asthma is the leading chronic disease in children (aside from dental cavities). In 2013, researchers estimated that asthma-related costs to society totaled $82 billion per year, a number sure to be higher today.

AAFA, founded in 1953, is the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, and the oldest asthma and allergy patient group in the world.  With a track record spanning over 70 years and 13 presidential administrations, our organization is the trusted voice for the asthma and allergy community.  While each administration’s priorities differ, the priority of AAFA remains steady. Our mission is to save lives and reduce the burden of disease for people with asthma and allergies.

When new federal or state policies are proposed or enacted, we carefully analyze for potential impacts on our community. Sometimes, the immediate or long-term impacts are unknown, and so continued monitoring is required. AAFA pledges to act with integrity and provide the best information available.

AAFA’s work is critical to protect the health of children, adults, and seniors with respiratory or allergic diseases. Actions such as rollbacks of clean air protections or climate change mitigations, reduced federal funding and staffing for the HHS (FDA, NIH, CDC, CMS, OCR), elimination of programs that address health disparities, or efforts to reduce health care coverage all threaten vital safety nets and disproportionately affect our most vulnerable communities.

“AAFA provides a lifeline of support to help people with asthma and allergies,” states AAFA President and CEO Kenneth Mendez. “Our commitment to our community remains strong. As always, we endeavor to earn and keep the trust of our community and be an ally in their health.”

AAFA amplifies the voices of patients and caregivers from our community. We aim to empower people with asthma and allergies to champion policies that will improve their lives. Our membership in coalitions and alliances helps us build even stronger support for our community. AAFA’s commitment is unwavering: We will continue our fierce advocacy for policies and programs that protect the health of our community.

AAFA provides evidence-based information on a range of topics including asthma, seasonal allergies, food allergies, eczema, nasal polyps, eosinophilic esophagitis, and other allergic conditions. For more information, visit aafa.org and kidswithfoodallergies.org, or call 800-7-ASTHMA (800-727-8462).

Welcome to our January research update! Getting involved with research is an important way to impact asthma and allergy treatments, education, and awareness.

This month, we are highlighting clinical trials, surveys, and news on:

• Asthma
• Asthma medicine costs
• Respiratory viruses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human rhinovirus (HRV)
• Insect allergy
• Solar urticaria
• Link between viral respiratory infections and asthma risk in childhood
• Pulse oximeters in various skin tones
  
  

Note: The links below will take you to external websites.

Interviews and Focus Groups

Would You Like to Take Part in a Research Study About Human Rhinovirus (HRV)?

HRV is the most frequent cause of the common cold.

Are you aged 18-80?

Have you recently had a respiratory tract infection or cold-like symptoms caused by HRV?

You may be able to participate in a 90-minute telephone or video interview to discuss your experience of having HRV and to give feedback on questionnaires that assess the symptoms and impacts of HRV on your daily life.

Your input will contribute to a better understanding of HRV and help to develop more effective treatments. You will be paid $230 for your time.

If you are interested in taking part in this study, please contact: jiron@exafield.com

Sponsored by Exafield

LEARN MORE

Latest Asthma and Allergy News

Allergy

Report Looks at Challenges to Managing Insect Allergy
A recent report looked at how well doctors are trained to manage insect sting allergies and the challenges they face in practice. A survey was sent to members of an allergy and immunology organization, and 78 people consisting of 92% doctors responded. Nearly all respondents learned about insect allergies during their fellowship training. During training, half (50%) managed 1 to 5 venom allergy patients and 38% managed more. After training, almost all (90%) saw 1 to 5 patients with insect sting allergy per month. They commonly performed testing and offered venom immunotherapy (VIT), but the biggest challenge was patients deciding not to start VIT. This study shows that while training covers insect allergies, real-world experience increases significantly after fellowship and patient decisions often limit treatment.

Asthma

FDA Recommends Updates to Help Improve Performance of Pulse Oximeters Across Skin Tones
Pulse oximeters can be used to read oxygen levels in people with asthma and help make treatment decisions. But research shows pulse oximeters may be less accurate for people with darker skin. To address this, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed new guidelines for manufacturers to improve the testing and design of pulse oximeters. Key recommendations include testing devices on a more diverse group of people, using standard methods to evaluate skin tone, and labeling devices that perform well across all skin tones. The FDA is asking for comments on the proposed updates until the end of February and will review all comments before coming up with final guidance.

Cost as a Barrier to Asthma Medicine in the United States
Financial hardship can be a major reason people don’t take medicine as prescribed. But not taking medicine as prescribed is often linked to uncontrolled asthma. A recent study analyzed data from 2011 to 2022 to understand cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN) in U.S. adults with asthma. It found that even though CRN rates have gone down over the years, about 1 in 6 adults with asthma still skip medicines due to cost. Factors like demographics and other health conditions influenced CRN. Adults with CRN were nearly twice as likely to have asthma attacks and 1.6 times more likely to visit the emergency department for asthma.

These findings highlight the need for better policies and support systems to reduce the financial barriers to asthma care. Addressing CRN is essential to improving asthma control and preventing severe complications (serious health problems) for the millions of Americans living with asthma.

The Link Between Viral Respiratory Infections Requiring a Hospital Stay in Early Childhood and Future Asthma Risk
A study in Korea examined the link between early childhood respiratory viral infections and asthma using data from 2008 to 2018. Researchers analyzed data from 19,169 children with a hospital stay for severe respiratory infections caused by viruses like rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza (flu), metapneumovirus, and adenovirus. These children were compared to 191,690 children without these infections.

The results showed that children who had severe viral infections were more likely to have asthma flare-ups and develop new asthma cases compared to those without such infections. The risk was even higher if they were hospitalized multiple times for respiratory infections. This study highlights that early viral infections, especially severe ones, may increase the likelihood of asthma and worsen asthma symptoms later in life. These findings emphasize the importance of preventing and managing respiratory infections in young children to reduce asthma-related risks.

Examining Disparities in Starting Biologics
Biologic therapies are a major advancement in treating asthma, but they are underused, especially among patients with public insurance and those from historically marginalized groups. A recent study found that race, ethnicity, and insurance type are all factors that create barriers to starting biologic treatments. About 25% of people with asthma who were prescribed biologics did not begin treatment, with the highest rates among people with public insurance (40%). Factors like language barriers, financial challenges, and limited access to care are likely to contribute to this issue.

The study also showed that historically marginalized groups had higher rates of asthma attacks and exacerbations, which lead to a greater burden of uncontrolled asthma. This highlights the need for targeted interventions, including better access to care, education, and support for these communities. Addressing these disparities is essential to improving asthma outcomes and ensuring equitable access to effective treatments like biologics.