Allergy to composite resin

Has anyone ever experienced a systemic allergy to composite fillings?  Since I had all my mercury fillings removed (by a qualified specialist) and only when I started refilling the teeth with composite resins did I begin to experience itching (a feeling coming from the inside, out).  I had temporary fillings before the permanent ones and those were fine.  When I first had the composite fillings applied, I experienced some sensitivity in certain teeth which my dentist redid and used a protective layer before refilling the teeth.  For about 3 months now I've had to take an antihistamine tablet every other day because the itching keeps returning.  I have ruled out food, chemical and environmental allergies and have been told by a gynecologist that this type of allergy is not due to hormones.  I've asked my dentist if there is any test I can do but he doesn't know of any and I am considering consulting an allergist but I would like to know if anyone out there has ever experienced this and what you've done.

The allergy could be from another source but it seems too coincidental that the itching first appeared after placing the composite resin fillings.

HELP!!

[Ashien]

Well... as I am finding myself in the same position I might tell you what I have seen so far.
I have worked furiously to find a solution to my very bizarre problems.

And the ONLY common factor in my life is dental composite and composite resin.

I have truly changed and altered EVERYTHING in my life. And the problem remained.
It began after an dental surgery in dec 09 and made me go insane.
Itching was only the beginning of it. It ended in fhe composite-must-go-mode as I am an autist and som things cannot be in my world.
And now... 6 months later... I have yet again recieved fillings and whole teeth made of composite and the new front was "cemented" with some form of acrilithic "glue" or whatever it is called. Sorry about not knowing the names... got polymers, monomers, in situ, in vitro and so on and forth coming out my ears now. Some get lost in the library LOL

But I found little pieces across the web about just allergenic reactions to composite materials used in dentristy. ERhm my english may be a bit bizarre, sorry about that :P

Already back in 1995 SWE government actually knew some nurses and others where allergic to composite and acrilithic glues. And it is a lifelong allergie.

And for the systematic part... well... I just had THE worst physio COMPLETE system failure and it is without a doubt caused by exposed areas of the fillings, the finishing part, the heated part is gone. And the inner part is exposed and causing havoc in my body.
Everything else is ruled out and time, relevance to exposure and so on and so forth just adds to fact.

I am reacting to it. I have found quite a bit now about it online for anyone to read. And yes one CAN have full systematic allergic reaction to these composites. My head is still hurting, my heart is still beating hard and all other symptoms are still there but a bit subdued as I have stopped the "leakage" or maybe the "exposure" of the surfaces in my mouth. But as SWE doctors do not believe in such a thing I have no clue how to ask for help in the emergency room. Not to speak of the dentist and telling him his work is outa the window because I cannot tolerate composite!? They simply don't believe me.

I have never ever been wrong in my life. I am based in Grounded Theory and Empirism. I would NEVER guess and often I am critical until I fins things CAN be a fail.
I just wanted to post this one so that someone, anyone might have use of it.

So my next problem is... getting the docs to realize the severness of my problem and then the dentist to remove the composite LOL well that is another thing and for me alone. Good luck everyone and maybe to me too :P

[onthejourney]

I believe I have an allergy to composite resins but it is near impossible to find a dentist or doctor to help you.  For a while I was traveling to Tyler, Texas (from South Louisiana) to see a dentist there.  He was the most sympathetic and helpful, but even he had not seen too many cases like mine.  I  have lived with irritation to my gums for about 8 years.  It's not gum disease.  But because of expenses and distance, I just go on with my life and try not to let it interfere.  I do think I will eventually have to deal with it.  It's just that it becomes almost like a full time job researching and trying to find help.  We are the "small" percentage that they just let fall through the cracks and then when they can't find anything, they call you crazy.  

[hanshiro]

Yes, according to Dr. Omar Amin, there are many reactions to composites that have been ignored or misdiagnosed. The condition is called 'Neurocutaneous Syndrome.'

"Neurocutaneous Syndrome (NCS), a newly discovered dental toxicity syndrome (Amin, 2001) is characterized by neurological and dermatological disorders as well as systemic and related dysfunctions. Patients experience, among other symptoms, pin-***** movement sensations and itchy cutaneous lesions that may invite various opportunistic infections. Components of the calcium hydroxide sealants Dycal, Life, and Sealapex, among others, have been identified as the source of the observed symptoms."

Links are here:

http://members.cox.net/llyee/ncs_diagnosis.htm

http://members.cox.net/llyee/dental_products_causing_neuro-cutaneous.html

I have the exact symptoms you describe after amalgam replacement with direct composites also in Dec. I am currently looking for a dentist that recognizes the connection.

[onthejourney]

I have read an article by Dr. Amin and even wrote to him a couple of years ago.  I think he is in New Mexico.  Because of the distance, it is just not feasible to see him.  If you find anyone in the South, let me know.  

I have had the dental material compatibility test but the dentist who placed these fillings doesn't have any records about what was used.  They use whatever is cheapest or whatever the last rep sold them and don't even bother to record which material is used.  

What's bad too is even though the materials can cause a systemic allergy, the problem is in your mouth and so medical insurance wont touch it.  Dot to have dental insurance.  In some ways, I wonder if I was better off with the amalgams.  I really didn't have any issues with them until I had the first composite filling and then a gold crown.  

[pinkiris]

To get a diagnosis of your allergy to the dental acrylic resin in your mouth,
you will have to find a dermatologist who does "patch testing".  You have to obtain from a dentist a cured piece of the acrylic material.  Then go to the dermatologist, who will the place this material on your skin (under a patch) for four days.  After the four days, the dermatologist will evaluate the mark left on your skin.

I was evaluated with a 2+ (out of 10) allergy to dental acrylic.
I have constant sinus infections from this allergy.  I wish I could change these dental filling, but I do not have the money.

The dentist I went to was informed of my petroleum product allergy, but he put in acrylic fillings in me.  Acrylic is made from petroleum.

My diagnosis to petroleum product was four years ago with a dermatologist (with patch testing).  The patch test showed, I was highly allergic to nickel.  The dermatologist told me not to use petroleum products (mineral oil products) because PETROLEUM HAS NICKEL SALTS in its composition.  Therefore my  nickel allergy is also a petroleum product allergy.

I was told the best cavity material is gold inlays (90% gold, 9% platinum), I will need to do a patch test to see if I am allergic or not.  Also I was told the new glues (for the inlays) are made from acrylic,  but a dentist told me the old school glues are not acrylic.
If I am allergic to gold, I will have to research ceramic inlays ( ones which do not contain radio-active material; a ceramic inlay may be composed of several materials).

[pinkiris]

To get a diagnosis of your allergy to the dental acrylic resin in your mouth,
you will have to find a dermatologist who does "patch testing".  You have to obtain from a dentist a cured piece of the acrylic material.  Then go to the dermatologist, who will the place this material on your skin (under a patch) for four days.  After the four days, the dermatologist will evaluate the mark left on your skin.

I was evaluated with a 2+ (out of 10) allergy to dental acrylic.
I have constant sinus infections from this allergy.  I wish I could change these dental filling, but I do not have the money.

The dentist I went to was informed of my petroleum product allergy, but he put in acrylic fillings in me.  Acrylic is made from petroleum.

My diagnosis to petroleum product was four years ago with a dermatologist (with patch testing).  The patch test showed, I was highly allergic to nickel.  The dermatologist told me not to use petroleum products (mineral oil products) because PETROLEUM HAS NICKEL SALTS in its composition.  Therefore my  nickel allergy is also a petroleum product allergy.

I was told the best cavity material is gold inlays (90% gold, 9% platinum), I will need to do a patch test to see if I am allergic or not.  Also I was told the new glues (for the inlays) are made from acrylic,  but a dentist told me the old school glues are not acrylic.
If I am allergic to gold, I will have to research ceramic inlays ( ones which do not contain radio-active material; a ceramic inlay may be composed of several materials).

[cusanus]

I may have the same thing. I lost my career, nearly my life from amalgams in the early 80s, then my wife/daughter followed in the early 90s. In the midst of communities filled with drugs, alcohol and zero effective medical diagnosis, it didn't all connect until 2005, by then I had to leave the country to recover. BUT, recently had 15 composites to fix these and other problems. Am now suddenly fighting severe irritation in the sinuses that his shifted to just inside the lips as the toxins migrate that way. The MDs would say I have delusionary parasitosis, which I would agree with if the parasites were men wearing stethoscopes. I thought maybe the jasmine tea, too. I've quit the tea for now. We'll see...

[cusanus]

There are also serious problems claimed to owed to BPA ceramics. I tried to ensure that I did NOT get the BPA kind, but you're in a hurry, there aren't many more places left to try, and the dentist just stares at you like you're from Mars. So, I may be reacting to BPA, I don't know. Or, it could be the jasmine tea. I know very well that the star anise in the tea was causing me a severe allergy, but I was also certain it had cleared up a candida infection in my sinus until I had to quit. Since then, I've continued to sip on the jasmine tea, but the irritation in my lip isn't much better since dropping the anise, can't tell if the toxic buildup is from the tea or what. Next is to stop the tea altogether. But what if it turns out to be the composite fillings? Life can get really weird. I wouldn't have required the avalanche of new fillings last year if I hadn't gotten into an Oreo cookie habit. Well, I learned a lesson about Oreos, but a little too late..

[cusanus]

Not related to my problem, but I have an idea. I'd love to have titanium implants if they were affordable, never thought there could be a reaction to those. I think the other guy who said that wasn't the problem may have been right, but I don't know. Terrible problem, but it reminds me of a Herpes infection. I have had them sometimes in my mouth, cured them quickly by using mild application of Camphophenique. But to have it spread like that, wow, terrible. However, I have had a variety of skin fungal infections and severe sinus irritation that the MDs have turned their backs on, preferring to call me crazy. Well, for the last 40 years I've had good luck treating these with a variety of antifungal / antibacterial creams, meaning I'd have been eaten alive without them. I could give you a list, but kind of busy right now. Google for that subject, you can find a lot of them. Try a few different ones, alternate between one and another until you find something that works. I believe you will.

[nursesane]

I had a severe reaction to temporary caps and now permanent caps and experienced all the things you describe, ending in a trip to the ED with anaphylactic syndrome, swelling throat, wet breathing, and near drowning in my own fluids. It's been 6 months and I still have sores in my mouth and particularly painful, over the front new caps. I was tested by an allergist but had prednisone (steroid) treatment to prevent uh...death... and once I stopped the steroids, I had a reaction on my back to the allergy patch tests that were removed 3 days prior-- the Double-component Epoxy Resin patch reacted with a huge blister and redness, inflamed and angry.

Just as you described, the dentist knows nothing, sees nothing, says nothing (love her, she was great otherwise.) The companies will not release the ingredients due to patents. I'm a nurse with a Master's and an educator so like you, I have read everything, researched, with limited results, and been baffled. THe allergist said the symptoms would go away once everything was cured and dry; yet here I sit, chancres in my mouth that are extremely painful, eyes swell shut, water. When I say swell shut, I"m not kidding, the top of the eye blisters and turns red and the entire upper lid swells over my eyes. This all occurs only over the front caps recently replaced. I have many, many caps in my mouth that have never reacted and aren't reacting at this time as far as I can figure.

It's baffling, frustrating, and I am so sick of every one suggesting it's everything from pollen to ????

Fess up dental people-- what cheap ingredients did you use to make these new teeth that we are all reacting too? I'm sure this will be more common and an issue in the future and now seeing it often on the internet. Some are accused of hypochondria and misdiagnosed with chronic fatigues and psoriasis and it's just a crock. Very expensive! I still owe $12,000 on my caps and don't know what to do!

[JeffFake]

Is it possible that an allergic reaction can only be an itching feeling that feels like its coming from inside the tooth? I have no other symptoms (skin or gum reaction) and I had assumed that getting a filling placed had aggravated the nerve and itching was just a side effect of the nerve death. The possibility that it could be an allergic reaction has me wondering. I'll take an antihistamine to see if it works.

Having an itch you cannot scratch is very annoying.

[DaytonaGuy]

Two months ago, I had two large mercury amalgam fillings removed and replaced with tooth-colored composite resin.  I really don't know why this was necessary, but there is a new dentist at my normal place, and this was the first time he'd examined me, and it was his recommendation that the old fillings be replaced due to wear or something.  At any rate, I trust my dentist, and it wasn't this new guy who'd be doing the work, so I agreed and proceeded with the new fillings.

Starting about 24 hours after this work was done, I started to have a weird taste in my mouth.  At first, it was VERY metallic tasting.  The dentist told me that this was due to the drilling of the old fillings and that it would go away in a day or two, no more than a week.  After a week, it was worse, and it had started to burn my mouth at times.  The best way to describe the sensation is that my mouth tastes sort of like that taste you get if you touch the tip of your tongue to a 9-volt battery.  It's like battery acid.  I went back to the dentist again, and he gave me a bottle of Perioguard and asked me to just swab my tongue with it regularly.  I did that, but it was making no difference.

Meanwhile, I happened to see my family doctor later that week, and asked him about it.  I had noticed that my tongue was swollen and not really fitting in between my teeth anymore, and it now has bite marks around the outside edges of it where it's pressing constantly against the insides of my teeth.  In addition, my cheeks are swollen on the insides at the spot of each filling.  My family doctor prescribed me a round of steroids, thinking there may be some kind of trauma to my tongue as a result of one of the novacaine shots going through my tongue during the original procedure.  Those steroids did nothing.

Meanwhile, I talked to a friend (as you can tell I was beginning to lose faith in my dentist) who is a nurse and she had me send her some pictures.  She has a good friend who is a pediatric oral surgeon.  He told her that he believes that my dentist injected novacaine directly into my mandibular joint and may have damaged something.  This seemed quite possible, since the last shot on each side had gone "into the buckle" and hurt like crazy.  He said that I should see an oral surgeon about it.  

I tried to make an appointment with several oral surgeons, and was told by two of them that I needed to see a neurologist.  I called my family doctor back and told him what was going on, and he told me to come back in and not to worry - that he has seen this before.  He calls it burning mouth syndrome.  However, it's too coincidental to me that I suddenly develop a case of this burning mouth syndrome at the same time I had this dental work done, and it's obvious if you look at my mouth and tongue that the fillings are causing me a problem.

I'm concerned that I am having a severe allergy to the composite material they used for these fillings.  I think I had a filling done once before in this material, but it was a very small one.  These are both rather large.  However, I don't have the sinus problems that some on this page are complaining about.  In the pictures I sent my friend, though, the back of my throat was very red, obviously irritated by something.

My mouth is always extremely dry and foods don't taste normal anymore, in addition to the swollen tongue and cheeks.

Help!!!

[thisisunbelievable]

I'm having something similar happening to me. I went to a holistic dentist to have 8 mercury fillings removed, and she removed a couple of white composite fillings that my compatibility test showed I was reacting to.

I had all of this replaced with a supposedly compatible composite, and now I'm in such agony. My mouth, throat, stomach are burning; I have painful reflux, chemical taste in mouth, depression, etc. It's obvious to me that I'm now in an inflammed condition.

I don't know what to do now. Have these teeth removed (and save the good ones)? I'm seriously considering this because I've dealt with poor health all my life, and can't take anymore.

Anyone go the drastic route and take teeth out?

[nastydog]

composite resins filling material is full of formaldehyde, other caustic chemicals, causing acidosis of dental pulp and gums, also root canal sealant is extremely toxic, they use chloroform, formic acid, which is formaldehyde, I had to have 7 root canalled teeth removed, one composite resin filling, there is a fugi filling, that dosent have the resins, I have had urticarial, angioedema for 7 years all related to teeth, no antihistamine worked, no medicine, complain to tga about you story, as I am tga, oral health services, nicnas

[nastydog]

composite resins filling material is full of formaldehyde, other caustic chemicals, causing acidosis of dental pulp and gums, also root canal sealant is extremely toxic, they use chloroform, formic acid, which is formaldehyde, I had to have 7 root canalled teeth removed, one composite resin filling, there is a fugi filling, that dosent have the resins, I have had urticarial, angioedema for 7 years all related to teeth, no antihistamine worked, no medicine, complain to tga about you story, as I am tga, oral health services, nicnas