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Environmental influences on the trace element content of teeth--implications for disease and nutritional status

Catriona J Brown1, Simon R N Chenery, Barry Smith

  • 1Childrens Department, Birmingham Dental Hospital, St. Chad's Queensway, B4 6NN, UK. catriona.brown@southbirminghampct.nhs.uk

Archives of Oral Biology
|July 28, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Children's primary teeth from Uganda showed higher levels of strontium, barium, cerium, lanthanum, and praseodymium, and lower zinc, compared to UK teeth. Environmental factors significantly influence tooth trace element content, potentially aiding nutritional monitoring.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Pediatric Health
  • Geochemistry

Background:

  • Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) is prevalent in certain Ugandan areas.
  • EMF is potentially linked to low magnesium and high cerium exposure.
  • Trace element analysis in primary teeth can offer insights into environmental exposures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare trace element concentrations in primary teeth from Ugandan and UK children.
  • To investigate potential environmental influences on tooth element composition.
  • To assess the link between EMF, magnesium, and cerium levels in Ugandan teeth.

Main Methods:

  • Primary teeth were collected from Ugandan (n=21) and UK (n=27) children.
  • Tooth crowns were digested and analyzed using ICP-MS and ICP-AES.
  • Enamel and dentine layers were isolated and analyzed separately.

Main Results:

  • Ugandan teeth had significantly higher strontium, barium, cerium, lanthanum, and praseodymium (P < 0.05).
  • Ugandan teeth showed significantly lower zinc concentrations compared to UK teeth.
  • No significant differences were found in aluminum, calcium, copper, magnesium, lead, or uranium.

Conclusions:

  • Environmental factors significantly impact the trace element content of primary teeth.
  • Tooth element analysis may serve as a tool for monitoring nutritional status.
  • Current data does not confirm a link between EMF in Uganda and reduced magnesium or increased cerium in primary teeth, though cerium's role is not excluded.

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