 A Trip to the Dentist
Certain materials and instruments that dentists use may actually trigger life-threatening allergic reactions in highly sensitive patients.
by Maya Norris
A trip to the dentist might be an unpleasant experience for some, but for people with severe allergies, routine dental treatment can be more than just uncomfortable - it can be treacherous.
Lethal Latex
Lisa Butler, 18, of Exton, PA, knows firsthand about the potential risk that lurks in the dental office. When Lisa got braces four years ago, she didn't know she suffered from a latex allergy. Every time she went to the orthodontist for treatment, her lips would swell and she would get dizzy. When she and her mother, Debbie Lynn, questioned the orthodontist about Lisa's reactions, he dismissed their concerns. "We told the orthodontist repeatedly that something wasn't right, and he repeatedly reassured us that there wasn't a problem," Debbie Lynn recalls.
About 1-1/2 years into her orthodontic treatment, an allergist finally diagnosed Lisa with an allergy to latex, a natural rubber harvested from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis, native to Southeast Asia. Studies estimate that one to six percent of the general population suffer from the allergy. The only treatment for latex allergy is strict avoidance, but staying away from latex is difficult. It's found in more than 40,000 products, including automobile tires and balloons, and about 300 medical items, such as bandages and gloves used by health care workers.
Lisa and Debbie Lynn informed the orthodontist about the diagnosis. As Lisa continued her routine monthly visits to his office, her allergic symptoms worsened. Over time, she became so sensitive to latex that she would react to the latex allergens in the air. She actually had to be carried out of the office several times. "I was so sensitive to the latex in the air that when I breathed it in, I would get really dizzy and get cold sweats," Lisa says. "I blacked out for a little bit a few times. My mom would have to help me out because I couldn't walk out on my own."
"At one point, Lisa was willing to keep the braces on for the rest of her life to avoid going to the orthodontist's office," Debbie Lynn says. The orthodontist did remove Lisa's braces about 1-1/2 years after her diagnosis, but the procedure did not occur in his office. "I had to be in the general lobby of his building when he took my braces off," Lisa says. "I couldn't be in my orthodontist's office because there was too much latex, and I was reacting. It was very uncomfortable."
The Gluten-Free Smile
Sally Davis, 44, of Berkley, MA, is trying to educate her dentist about celiac disease, a digestive disorder in which the small intestine is unable to tolerate gluten found in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats. Symptoms include gastrointestinal problems, such as stomach pain and diarrhea, weight loss, dermatitis, and chronic fatigue. The only way to treat celiac disease is to avoid gluten. Ingesting just a small amount of gluten can trigger symptoms.
After her diagnosis, Sally sought treatment from her dentist for infected wisdom teeth. Although she explained the cause and treatment of celiac disease to him, he still didn't seem to understand the dynamics of the condition.
"At the time I told him I had celiac disease, he had just finished writing a prescription for an antibiotic. He said 'I'm going to lessen the dosage because you said you have celiac disease,'" Sally says. "I told him that it's not necessarily the dosage of the medication -- it's whether or not it has gluten in it."
Sally's dentist referred her to an oral surgeon who, unlike her dentist, went out of his way to learn more about the disease and address her gluten-free needs. Prior to removing her infected wisdom teeth, the oral surgeon contacted Sally's physician to familiarize himself with celiac disease. He provided Sally with the list of dental medications that would be used during and after the procedure so that she could research them and ensure they didn't contain gluten. He and his staff also switched to latex gloves for her surgery because their regular vinyl gloves were coated with oat powder. Sally credits the advance planning and collaboration between herself and her oral surgeon for the success of her surgery.
This is an excerpt of an article featured in a past issue.
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