Purple swollen gums around dental crownsYears ago, a patient by the name of Cate came into my office concerned with the color of her gums around her crowns. Cate’s gums were swollen, purple and gray around her crowns. She was in a LOT of pain! Cate brushed, flossed and rinsed over and over again, thinking she may have gum disease (periodontal disease), gingivitis, or food stuck underneath her gums.

Brushing didn’t help.
Flossing didn’t help.
Rinsing didn’t help.

Needless to say, Cate was very, very concerned.

She is very a conscientious person who cares a lot about her general health and her dental health. She is like most women across the United States. At the time, Cate had crowns on her front teeth that showed a purple and gray rainbow of color around the edges of her crowns.

We discovered that Cate was allergic to the metal used to make the crowns. She also had reactions on her skin to costume jewelry. Studies show that 80% of women who are allergic to jewelry also have allergies to dental metals. It is important to visit the dentist and have the materials changed for healthier materials.

Ouch, Cate’s body had developed a sensitivity to the nickel in the crowns. The facts are:

  • 16% of all women have an allergy to the nickel in dental work
  • 4% of all women are allergic to gold

After I discussed treatment options with her, Cate decided to improve her oral and general health by replacing her metallic crowns with ceramic crowns. Her gum tissues changed colors from a grayish-purple to a healthy pink within 90 minutes of the change!

Cate felt that the health message was so important that she was interviewed on national television to help spread the word.

Here’s what to do as we learn from Cate’s story:

  • People can have allergies to the materials found in dental work such as crowns (caps), inlays, onlays, fillings, bridges, dentures, and appliances
  • If your gum tissues are changing colors around your dental crowns (or caps)
  • And it lasts longer than 3 days
  • Then make an appointment to visit with the dentist to have your gums checked for allergies
  • If so, then change the materials of the crowns to improve your health
  • You will then begin to feel better
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