title: Effect of ethylene oxide sterilization on enamel and dentin demineralization in vitro.
abstract: For in situ studies into caries prevention, sterilization of tooth samples is essential. However, sterilization may influence the caries process itself. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of sterilising sound human enamel and dentin with ethylene oxide on lesion depth and mineral loss before and after in vitro demineralization. Lesion depth and mineral loss were measured using transversal microradiography (TMR). The experiment was carried out with 32 enamel and 32 dentin samples. We found a significant reduction of lesion depth due to sterilization in demineralized enamel (-9.8microm; 95% CI: -15.1 to -4.4microm). The small effect of sterilization on demineralized enamel is considered to be irrelevant for in situ studies of de- and remineralization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. R.Z.Thomas@med.umcg.nl
authors.forename: Renske Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ruben
authors.forename: Jaap J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: ten Bosch
authors.forename: Marie-Charlotte D N J M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Huysmans
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D003804:Dentin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008852:Microradiography / Q000379:methods; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D005027:Ethylene Oxide