Author/Editor		Lunder, Tomaž
Title		Contact allergy in stomatology: yes or no?
Type		članek
Source		In: Proceedings of the 5th F. Kogoj memorial symposium; 2005 Jun 10-11; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Klinični center, Dermatovenerološka klinika,
Publication year		2005
Volume		str. 14-7
Language		eng
Abstract		There is growing interest in the problem appearing in dental patients and dental personnel of contact allergy to various compounds. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of contact allergy to dental allergenic compounds between dental personnel and dental patients, referred to our Department, and to evaluate the role of contact allergy in burning mouth syndrome. Anamnestic and patch test data of all patients tested at the Department of Dermatovenereology in Ljubljana to dental allergens during the 1998-2003 period were evaluated in this study. A total of 238 patients were tested for dental allergens. 25 of 238 patients were dental personnel. 28% of all tested dental personnel vs. 3.9% of other patients were acrylate positive. Only 2.3% of patients who had oral symptoms were acrylate positive. The most frequent positive patch test reactions were due to nickel (32) and palladium (27). 77.8% of the patients with palladium allergy also had a nickel allergy. Of 96 patients with burning mouth syndrome, 67.7% had no allergic reaction to any of the allergens. This study shows that allergy to acrylates and to palladium is more common in dental workers than in dental patients, probably due to occupational exposure. A significant association was found between nickel and palladium allergy, indicating cross-reactivity. In our patients, contact allergy did not seem to have a primary role in burning mouth syndrome, as noted by some authors. However, patch testing should be considered to exclude the possibility of contact allergy.
Descriptors		DERMATITIS, ALLERGIC CONTACT PATCH TESTS DENTAL STAFF ACRYLIC RESINS NICKEL PALLADIUM BURNING MOUTH SYNDROME