title: Genotoxic effect of formocresol pulp therapy of deciduous teeth.
abstract: To investigate whether formocresol, in Buckley's original formulation, used for pulp therapy of deciduous teeth, can have a genotoxic effect. Genotoxicity was tested in lymphocyte cultures from the peripheral blood of children aged 5-10y, in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. This was a case-control study. The sample comprised 40 children who had primary teeth with non-vital pulps. Two venous blood samples (6-8ml) were collected from each child, the first prior to pulp therapy (control group) and the second 24h after pulp therapy (experimental group). Lymphocyte cultures were grown in 78% RPMI 1640 medium, 20% fetal bovine serum, 2% phytohemagglutinin. The lymphocytes were assessed for chromosomal aberrations; each sample involved analysis of 100 metaphases. There was a statistically significant difference between the control and treated groups for the isochromatid gap (p<0.001), chromatid break (p<0.009), isochromatid break (p<0.046), other chromosomal alterations (p<0.001), and for total aberrations. In view of these results, caution in the use of formocresol in pediatric dentistry is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Electronic address: anacatarinaglleite@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Ana Catarina Gaioso
authors.initials: ACG
authors.lastname: Lucas Leite
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aronita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Merilane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Silva Calixto
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cirlene Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Neide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005566:Formocresols / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
chemical_list: D005566:Formocresols; D009153:Mutagens; C031025:formocresol