The role of cadmium as a skin sensitizing agent in denture and non-denture wearers

Positive patch test reactions to cadmium were observed in 8 out of 21 denture wearing persons with burning mouth sensations during 1979 and 1980, and in 13 of 125 consecutive outpatients being routine tested at the Dermatological Department in late 1980 and early 1981. Retesting 17 of these patients after at least 3 months delay with 2.0% cadmium chloride and 2% cadmium sulphate in water showed only 7 with a definite positive reaction. At serial dilution of cadmium sulphate, only 1 person reacted to a 1% aqueous solution. An exposure to cadmium could in 1 case be traced back to a 2-year period of work in a PVC plant, while in the remaining 6 cases the most probable exposure factor seemed to be chronic heavy cigarette smoking. The observations did not lend support to the pink acrylic denture base material being a relevant cadmium exposure factor.