The obsolescence of formocresol.
Concern has existed for almost 10 years regarding the safety and efficacy of formaldehyde-based medicaments like formocresol in dentistry. Formocresol has been shown to be therapeutically outdated for decades. While the use of formocresol around the world continues to drop, it still is utilized in alarmingly high rates, an age-old bias that is unsubstantiated by overall academic research. Formaldehyde remains a genotoxic and carcinogenic problem worldwide. The most recent articles are discussed in light of the need to abandon formocresol.
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, USA.
Bradley
B
Lewis
D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002273:Carcinogens; D002648:Child; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005566:Formocresols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens; D010087:Oxides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011672:Pulpotomy / Q000379:methods*; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement / Q000627:therapeutic use
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D002273:Carcinogens; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005566:Formocresols; D009153:Mutagens; D010087:Oxides; D017640:Silicates; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate; C031025:formocresol; C024823:ferric sulfate; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide