Like me, I am sure you have used toothpaste as a quick fix for treating acne. But did you know toothpaste can actually cause acne? Well, perioral dermatitis or sometimes called periorificial dermatitis is a condition in which acne papules are formed around the mouth and/or chin caused by an allergic reaction to the flavorings found in toothpaste such as mint (i.e. peppermint, spearmint) and cinnamon (i.e. cinnamic aldehyde), tartar control toothpaste or sodium lauryl sulfate, a toothpaste cleansing agent. The condition can also be caused by topical corticosteroids, topical fluorinated steroids, or inhaled steroids.
