title: Radioprotective effect of sodium selenite on developing teeth.
abstract: Radioprotective agents like selenium are used to reduce the damage caused by radiation in healthy tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sodium selenite on the development of the molars of offspring of rats irradiated during odontogenesis. Twenty pregnant rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, irradiated, selenium and selenium/irradiated. The selenium and selenium/irradiated groups received 0.3 mg/kg of sodium selenite at 18 days of pregnancy. The rats of the irradiated and selenium/irradiated groups received a single dose of 4 Gy of X rays on the abdominal region at the 19th day of pregnancy. The offspring was sacrificed at 3 and 4 days after birth for evaluation of the birefringence of the enamel organic matrix, and at 30 days for evaluation of the intercuspal dimensions of the molars. The selenium/irradiated group was similar to the irradiated group with respect to the thickness and irregularity of the enamel organic matrix region in the evaluated birefringence, as the intercuspal dimensions of the molars. In conclusion, sodium selenite had no radioprotective action on the development of the molars of offspring of rats irradiated during odontogenesis and had a toxic effect in the initial time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology Area, Piracicaba School of Dentistry, UNICAMP - University of Campinas, PiracicabaSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ellen Gaby
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: Flávia Maria de Moraes
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ramos-Perez
authors.forename: Deborah Queiroz
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Frab Norberto
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Bóscolo
authors.forename: Solange Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014070:Tooth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D018038:Sodium Selenite