Morphology of enamel in primary teeth from children in Thailand exposed to environmental lead.
Lead is one of the major environmental pollutants and a health risk. Dental hard tissues have a capacity to accumulate lead from the environment. Eighty exfoliated primary teeth were collected from children residing around a shipyard area in southern Thailand, known for its lead contamination. The morphology of the enamel was examined by polarized light microscopy (PLM), microradiography (MRG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The specimens derived from two groups of children, one group with high blood levels of lead (57 teeth) and one group having low blood levels of lead (23 teeth). The enamel irrespective of group appeared normal. However, in a majority of the specimens the enamel surface appeared hypomineralized, which was confirmed in SEM. No morphological changes connected to lead in blood could be found. The hypomineralized surface zone could possibly be attributed to an acid oral environment.
Youravong
Nattaporn
N
Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.
Chongsuvivatwong
Virasakdi
V
Teanpaisan
Rawee
R
Geater
Alan F
AF
Dietz
Wolfram
W
Dahlén
Gunnar
G
Norén
Jörgen G
JG
D002648:Child; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008852:Microradiography; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013785:Thailand; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
D007854:Lead