Oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) and mercury in amalgam fillings

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Contact Dermatitis
Volume 48 Issue 2 Page 74 - February 2003

Oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) and mercury in amalgam fillings

L. Wong and S. Freeman

84 patients with oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) were seen in the contact dermatitis clinic. All these patients had reticulate, lacy, plaque-like or erosive lichenoid changes adjacent to amalgam fillings. Patch testing to metallic mercury, 0.1% thimerosal, 1% ammoniated mercury, 0.1% mercuric chloride, and in some cases 0.05% phenylmercuric nitrate and amalgam discs was undertaken. 33 (39%) patients had positive patch test findings. 30/33 patch test positive patients had replacement of their amalgam fillings, with 28 (87%) patients experiencing improvement of symptoms and signs within 3 months. This confirms that mercury allergy is a factor in the pathogenesis of OLL in some cases. In cases where patch test negative patients improve with amalgam replacement, mercury may be acting as an irritant in the pathogenesis of OLL.

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Authors:

L. Wong

S. Freeman

Key words:

amalgam fillings

contact allergy

leukoplakia

mercury

oral lichen planus

oral lichenoid lesions

Accepted for publication 29 August 2002

Affiliations

Skin and Cancer Foundation, Darlinghurst NSW, Australia

Correspondence

Address:
S. Freeman
Skin and Cancer Foundation
277 Bourke St
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Australia

To cite this article
Wong, L. & Freeman, S.
Oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) and mercury in amalgam fillings.
Contact Dermatitis 48 (2), 74-79.
doi: 10.1034/
j.1600-0536.2003.480204.x

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