Clinical decision-support only. For use by licensed dental professionals. Not a substitute for professional judgment or a complete drug reference. Always verify with primary sources.
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Allergy

Latex allergy

Material

Reaction signs & chairside management

  • Contact reaction or anaphylaxis from latex dental materials

    Reactions range from localized contact urticaria/oral mucosal irritation from latex gloves or a rubber dam, up to anaphylaxis in severe cases. Type IV (delayed contact dermatitis) and Type I (immediate, IgE-mediated) reactions are both reported.

    Clinical management: Use non-latex gloves, dam, and prophy cups; flag the chart clearly and schedule as the first appointment of the day in a latex-reduced environment where feasible.

  • Itchy mouth or lip swelling after banana, avocado, kiwi or papaya (latex-fruit syndrome)

    Many latex-allergic people cross-react to certain fruits, ranging from local oral itching/swelling (oral allergy syndrome) to anaphylaxis. A history of mouth itching with these fruits can flag an unrecognized latex allergy.

    Clinical management: On the health history, ask latex-allergic patients (and anyone reporting mouth itching with banana, avocado, kiwi or papaya) about the other; treat a positive fruit history as a reason to use a latex-free setup (nitrile gloves, non-latex dam, prophy cups, orthodontic elastics and bite blocks) and refer for allergy testing.

Sources

  1. Update on latex allergy: New insights into an old problem. Parisi CAS, Kelly KJ, Ansotegui IJ, et al. The World Allergy Organization journal, 2021.
  2. A Patient with an Unknown Latex Allergy Presenting for Sealant Placement. Mistry N, Mupparapu M, Panchal N. Dental clinics of North America, 2023.
  3. Revisiting Latex-Fruit Syndrome after 30 Years of Research: A Comprehensive Literature Review and Description of Two Cases. Gromek W, Kołdej N, Świtała S et al. Journal of clinical medicine, 2024.