I had a full set of dentures placed. They fit really well and I am happy with them from that perspective. However, I am pretty sure I am allergic to them and now am unsure what to do.
Day 1: Swelling around my eyes and swollen glands in my throat.
Day 2: My throat swelled and the swelling around my eyes worsened. I took some allergy medication and that seemed to lessen the symptoms.
Day 3: I took a break from the dentures and the symptoms went away.
Day 4: I put them back in and the symptoms started back.
I really like these dentures and certainly can’t go without any type of teeth, so what shall I do?
Sarah
Dear Sarah,
Yes, it certainly does look like you are allergic to something with this set of dentures. The good news is this can be fixed, but there is a chance you will have to get new dentures in order to do that. There is something that can be tried first. One possibility is that you are allergic to the unreacted monomer in the denture.
The denture base is made of acrylic. It’s processed in liquid form and a chemical reaction is used to harden it. The liquid form is a monomer and the chemical reaction turns it into a polymer. There is usually some left over monomer, however. If that monomer is what is causing your allergic reaction, there is a procedure to get rid of it. In order to convert the remainder into a polymer, you would need to submerge the dentures in very hot water for several hours. It is worth trying, but I’d have your dentist do it.
If that doesn’t work, it means that you are allergic to the base resin. There are many other resins it can be made from that you won’t be allergic to. The good news is if they made you a great fitting denture once, they can do it again, even if it is from a different resin.
I’m sorry you are having to go through this. The human body can be so unpredictable about what it accepts and what it tries to reject.
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