Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Gold

Abstract

Gold sensitivity (the eighth reported case, and the seventh proved case) occurred in a 27-year-old woman. This is the first instance where a dental appliance was involved. The gingival mucosa sloughed following contact with a gold crown, and previous sites of contact dermatitis to jewelry flared. The cutaneous lesions subsided when the crown was removed. Patch tests to gold salts were positive, but those to metallic gold (leaf) were negative. Four months after the crown was removed, the skin test to gold trichloride was still positive, although diminished in intensity.