Tongue erosions and diet cola.
We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who presented with a 10-year history of painful ulcerations on her tongue. She reported that she drank large quantities of diet cola and some orange juice daily and that she used cinnamon-flavored toothpaste and mouthwash nightly. Patch testing elicited positive reactions to balsam of Peru (a fragrance as well as a flavoring agent put in cola drinks that cross-reacts with orange juice) and cinnamic aldehyde. She was diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis. She was put on a restricted diet and a fragrance-free regimen, and her condition resolved.
Jacob
Sharon E
SE
Contact Dermatitis Clinic, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Florida, USA. sjacob@med.miami.edu
Steele
Tace
T
D000171:Acrolein / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000328:Adult; D001453:Balsams / Q000009:adverse effects; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D032084:Citrus sinensis / Q000009:adverse effects; D003429:Cross Reactions; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005421:Flavoring Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005928:Glossitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D010328:Patch Tests; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000009:adverse effects
D001453:Balsams; D005421:Flavoring Agents; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D014100:Toothpastes; D000171:Acrolein; C025080:Peruvian balsam; C012843:cinnamaldehyde