Anyone have any views on metal sensitivity and ... - Thyroid UK

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Anyone have any views on metal sensitivity and thyroid?

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11 years ago•14 Replies

I have a fixed stainless steel retainer behind my front teeth, which I've had for about 2 years. I've recently discovered it contains about 18% nickel. I am sensitive to nickel - can't wear nickel jewellery and have problems with metal clasps and buttons, so I now feel uncomfortable having this in my mouth. My thyroid condition was diagnosed 1 year ago, so after it was fitted. Coincidence? Or is there any literature on thyroid and nickel? Thx

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14 Replies

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tegz11 years ago

I know Zinc and copper are both tied up in T3 production. Any heavy metal can upset all sorts of things and are pretty well always bad in excess- or if sensitive.

It's important to take copper with zinc as copper can be depleted by it.Copper also toxic in large amounts.

On the teeth work- I'm afraid, like so much with thyroid, it's suck it and see [no pun ]

ie: Youi may need to get metal removed to see impact- but my gut feeling is it's not a direct cause- more likely a contributor to thyroid issues via immune system challenge.

So many bricks have to be in place to get the system totally right- and it aint easy!

It would help [ for further commment from others] if you said if you are Hyper or HypoT - I suspect the latter, due to T3 link.

There is also the effect of Chrome in S/S to consider

in reply to tegz11 years ago

Actually I'm Hyper - Graves. I also have lots of amalgam fillings and a gold onlay, so a feast of heavy metal in my mouth!

tegz in reply to 11 years ago

The Gold is reputedly safe, at least! (Hope it's Hall marked

lilliput11 years ago

There does seem to link between auto immune disease and allergies, according to the oracle (google). But I get the impression that the link is the immune system reacting to ones own body or substances which for some people would not be a problem eg pollen.

My gut feeling would be that it isn't a direct cause of the thyroid problem but perhaps you could mention it to your doctor when you see him/her again.

Quite interested in this as I am now allergic to several things which were fine previously but only get skin reactions. Just to say that I'm glad I did a patch test test for hair dye, now have very red itchy patch behind ear and drip marks down neck. A full on allergic reaction can be nasty but darker colours containing PPD cause allergies in a number of people.

lilliput in reply to lilliput11 years ago

Have had a contact allergy to nickel for as long as I remember, just an expensive person.

in reply to lilliput11 years ago

My skin's a pain too, has been all through my adult life. I use totally natural skincare (Akamuti, just love it) and mineral make-up and mineral sunscreen (anything with a chemical SPF in it is a complete nightmare). Although on the budget front I swear by E45 moisturising lotion, I can use it on face and body with no problems. I have my hair done at an Aveda salon, I think their dyes are more natural than some others. I don't dare change to anywhere else. You might want to try that if there's one near you? I also can't wear wool, and neither can my daughter. And my son shares my sunscreen allergy.

greenginger in reply to lilliput11 years ago

Hi I cannot die my hair either or I have an allergic reaction. Also allergic to base metals and elastoplast and penicillin.

beaton11 years ago

I don't know which way round the allergy thing goes but for me metal allergy came after I was diagnosed hypo.I am allergic to the metal I can't wear some jewelry and i am allergic to metal in spectacles and hooks on my bra. !!

in reply to beaton11 years ago

Yep, bra hooks infuriate me! Why can't they just make that bit of material you tuck it behind a bit longer, it always seems to still touch the skin...

11 years ago

OK, if anyone is still following this question there are a plethora of research papers on this subject on PubMed. I have picked these 2 fairly randomly as my attention span wasn't long enough to trawl through too many of them:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/205...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/168...

In a nutshell, they seem to suggest that if you are allergic or hypersensitive to nickel or mercury etc. then removing these from your system can reduce thyroid antibodies. So maybe that retainer has to go after all, since I know I'm sensitive to nickel, and maybe also (gulp) those amalgam fillings. Looks like a test for mercury sensitivity is next on my list...

greenginger11 years ago

Hi I do not know but I am also allergic to the cheaper and base metals.

11 years ago

Thank you, I think I'm just going to remove it to be honest.