A Virginia archaeologist who is allergic to the mint said her reaction was so severe that she was hospitalized from three feet away due to a stranger's "toothpaste breath."
Kyleigh Digiovanni, 25, of York, Virginia, found her teeth painful since childhood, but her family initially thought she was just "picky" and she shared it with the news agency's SWNS. (See the video at the top of this article.)
When Digiovanni started telling her family, her toothpaste “burned”—when she was 10 years old, she went to see a doctor.
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Tests reveal Digiovanni's mint allergy. She also reacts to lavender, rosemary and thyme.
Digiovanni said she spent two years unable to brush her teeth while her family searched for non-ticket toothpaste. Now, she brushes her teeth with blue raspberry-scented fluoride toothpaste.
Now that Virginia archaeologist Kyleigh Digiovanni, 25, has laughed because she found a toothpaste without menthol. (kyleigh digiovanni / swns)
Her allergies seemed to worsen over time - so much so that she couldn't anywhere near someone who chewed gum or coughed with mint.
She said she had been hospitalized 12 times last year, including an episode in November when a colleague breathed unexpectedly using peppermint toothpaste.
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Digiovanni said she carried an oral medication to stop her from falling into an allergic reaction.
"They can treat me quickly," she said. "I've been for a few hours. They pumped me with antihistamines and adrenaline."
"I have reasons everywhere. If I get on the train, I'll wear a mask."
She told SWNS that this makes public transportation “like playing five bullets in a room.”
"I have reasons everywhere," Digiovanni said. "If I get on the train, I'll wear a mask."
Digiovanni's allergies seem to get worse over time. She can't be anywhere near someone who chews gum or uses mint to cough. (kyleigh digiovanni / swns)
Dr. Neeta Ogden, an allergic and immunologist in Edison, New Jersey, told Fox News Digital that although these allergies are rare, they do exist.
"All are weird," Ogden said.
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"You can definitely find stories you like, 'Well, I've never heard of them.' It's hard to believe, but there are some things that happen."
According to Healthline, allergic reactions to mint range from “mild to severe and life-threatening.”
“It’s hard to believe, but something happens.”
More common symptoms may include tingling or itching; swelling of the lips and tongue; swelling, itchy throat; nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; and abdominal pain.
Some people also experience skin irritation due to contact dermatitis, which may cause redness, itching, swelling, tenderness, blisters and/or honeycombs, the above sources said.
Digiovanni, pictured here, once had to be hospitalized after being exposed to mint toothpaste in someone's breath. (kyleigh digiovanni/swns)
Digiovanni said she had never seen anyone with a special allergy, but she found an online support group with 20 people struggling with similar allergic reactions.
“I think we’re lucky to be able to live in some online support group,” Ogden said.
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“Before that, it was an isolated thing, and some people thought they were rare in the country one or two people (who) might have a rare condition so that they could share the solution.”
Digiovanni said she could manage her allergies, but never knows when she would be shocked.
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"I wish I was allergic to peanuts," she added.