I just recently received dentures. However, ever since I put them in, I started having a problem with itching in my mouth and then I had some swelling even around my eyes. I took some Benadryl which helped. At night, I didn’t have a problem, but the next day when I put them back in, the problems started all over again. I eventually took them out and after a few hours the symptoms subsided. I am very afraid that I am allergic to my dentures. If I am, what do I do? I can’t go without teeth.
Ellen
Dear Ellen,
It does sound like you are allergic to something with regard to your dentures. The first step would be to work out exactly what you are allergic to. There are a couple of possibilities.
First, you could actually be allergic to the monomer and not the denture itself. When a denture is processed, it starts in liquid form. This is a monomer. A chemical reaction turns it from a monomer to a polymer, which turns it solid. There is often some leftover monomer after this process. If you are allergic to that, there is a way to get rid of the remainder of the monomer that was left over.
There is some research that shows if your dentist immerses the dentures in very hot water for several hours it should convert the remainder of the monomer.
If that isn’t the problem, then you are likely allergic to the acrylic base. There are other materials that a denture can be made from. I would talk to your dentist about the possibilities.
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