Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
08:12
Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants
Published on: March 29, 2018
Amoxicillin may cause molar incisor hypomineralization
1Health Center, Ylämaa, Finland.
Journal of Dental Research
|March 13, 2009
Summary
Early amoxicillin use is a significant factor in molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH). This study found a higher prevalence of MIH in children who received amoxicillin during their first year of life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Developmental Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The causes of molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) remain largely unknown.
- Antibiotic use in early childhood is a potential, yet unconfirmed, etiological factor for MIH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between early antibiotic exposure and the development of molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH).
- To explore the potential role of amoxicillin in the pathogenesis of MIH.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 141 schoolchildren was assessed for MIH.
- Medical records were reviewed to determine antibiotic usage, specifically amoxicillin and erythromycin, before the age of 4.
- In vitro studies cultured mouse E18 teeth with varying concentrations of amoxicillin.
Main Results:
- Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) was diagnosed in 16.3% of the children studied.
- Children exposed to amoxicillin or erythromycin in their first year showed a significantly higher incidence of MIH.
- In vitro amoxicillin exposure led to increased enamel thickness but not dentin thickness in developing teeth.
Conclusions:
- Early exposure to amoxicillin is identified as a potential causative factor in the development of molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH).
- Altered amelogenesis patterns due to amoxicillin may disrupt proper enamel mineralization, leading to MIH.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Essential Minerals for Bone Health
The minerals contained in all of the food we consume are essential for our organ systems. However, certain essential minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and fluoride, largely affect bone health.
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
01:15Teeth
The formation of teeth, also known as odontogenesis, is a complex process that begins in utero, around the sixth week of embryonic development. There are three stages to this process: the bud stage, the cap stage, and the bell stage.
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
01:25Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis
Aminoglycosides constitute a highly potent class of bactericidal antibiotics that exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, specifically disrupting protein synthesis. These polycationic molecules consist of amino-modified sugars linked via glycosidic bonds to an aminocyclitol core such as 2-deoxystreptamine or streptamine. Their strong positive charges facilitate tight binding to the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), primarily at the 16S...
01:27The Oral Microbiota
The oral microbiome includes a complex ecosystem comprising over 700 microbial species, identified through genomic sequencing and culture-based analyses to date. This community includes a core microbiome, found universally among individuals, and a variable component influenced by environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and host genetics. Site-specific conditions, including oxygen gradients, pH levels, and nutrient availability, determine the spatial distribution of these microorganisms...
01:12Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects
While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
01:26Minerals
Minerals are essential nutrients that the human body needs in small amounts to work properly. They play a vital role in many bodily functions, such as building strong bones and transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are needed for hormone production or to maintain a normal heartbeat. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium, while trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.