CDA Essentials 2019 • Volume 6 • Issue 7

27 Issue 7 | 2019 | N ews and E vents After the story of a young girl with a severe dairy allergy who died after using a toothpaste recommended by her dentist appeared in the Royal College of Dental Surgeon’s of Ontario (RCDSO) Dispatch News 1 , oral health professionals were reminded of the risks of lethal food allergies. Although extremely rare, the girl’s anaphylactic reaction toMI Toothpaste, was caused by Recaldent TM (casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate), an ingredient in MI toothpaste that incorporates a milk-derived protein. Food Allergies and Dental Care What dentists need to know about food allergies Food allergies reported by your patients can have implications during dental treatment. For example, patients with allergies to certain foods, such as avocado, kiwi, pineapple, and banana—foods known to contain the same proteins found in latex—can increase a patient’s risk of being allergic to latex. Dental products such as fluoride, prophy pastes, sealant materials and even gum may also contain allergens including fruit flavouring, pine nuts, traces of peanuts, clove oil, gluten, and milk protein. This story heightened awareness of the dangerous consequences of food allergies and their link to dental care. In response, the RCDSO released information about food allergies and their link to dental treatment to help dentists obtain a thorough medical history and to cautiously consider each of their patient’s positive answers about allergies, medications and existing medical conditions. Managing allergies in your practice • Carefully review medical history with your patients to identify any potential allergic or adverse reaction to foods in addition to allergies to medications, substances, or products. Thoroughly review and probe further when patients provide an affirmative (allergic) or unclear response to establish the history, type, and severity of any reported allergic reaction. • Review the contents and/or ingredients of dental materials and products used and identify potential allergens associated with a patient’s reported allergy. If necessary, postpone treatment and consult with the patient’s physician to request an allergy test. • Ensure allergies, precautions, and medical alerts are clearly indicated in the patient’s chart along with up-to-date progress notes. Train your clinical staff to recognize the sign and symptoms of anaphylaxis and how to respond to a medical emergency. • Maintain an adequate and current emergency kit containing readily accessible sources of oxygen, diphenhydramine and epinephrine. a Reference 1. Royal College of Dental Surgeon’s of Ontario. Food Allergies: Their Relevance to Dental Care . Available: rcdso.org/en-ca/rcdso-members/dispatch-magazine/articles/5141 Related Resources rcdso.org ‘Medical History Recordkeeping Guide’ and other food allergy resources cda-adc.ca/en/services/ essentials/2016/ issue6/#27 CDA Essentials article “ManagingMedical Emergencies: Anaphylaxis”