Clinical evaluation of fifty-six patients referred with symptoms tentatively related to allergic contact stomatitis.

During a 7-year period, 56 patients were referred to the Department of General Pathology and Internal Medicine and the Department of Dental Materials, University of Amsterdam, to determine whether contact allergic reactions to dental materials were the cause of their complaints. On the first consultation with the patient a detailed history focusing on the complaints themselves, general medical history, and special clinical history of allergic skin reaction was obtained. Oral examinations were performed, and all patients were referred to the allergy clinic at the department of dermatology for skin tests. There was a strong female predominance in the referred group. Most of the patients with allergic contact stomatitis mentioned a burning sensation in the mouth. In only 16 of the 56 patients could the diagnosis of allergic contact stomatitis be established. From this study it can also be concluded that the combination of a positive allergic history and positive allergic skin reactions with or without visible oral signs are important for the diagnosis of allergic contact stomatitis.