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Structure and composition of sialoliths
1Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften der Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen.
Journal of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Biochemistry. Zeitschrift Fur Klinische Chemie Und Klinische Biochemie
|April 1, 1989
Summary
Salivary calculi, or stones, contain calcium phosphates and an inorganic matrix. This study found sex-specific heavy metal accumulation in these stones, noting a correlation between fluorine and lead levels.
Area of Science:
- Biomineralization
- Toxicology
- Dental Medicine
Background:
- Salivary calculi are complex biomineralizations composed of calcium phosphates and an organic matrix.
- Crystalline phases include hydroxyl-apatite, carbonate-apatite, whitlockite, and calcium octaphosphate.
- Sialothiasis, or salivary gland disease, is often associated with calculus formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex-dependent differences in toxic heavy metal accumulation within salivary calculi.
- To explore potential correlations between specific heavy metals and calculus composition.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of salivary calculi from 50 patients diagnosed with sialothiasis.
- Chemical analysis to determine the elemental composition of the calculi, focusing on heavy metals.
Main Results:
- Characteristic sex-dependent variations in the uptake of toxic heavy metals were observed in salivary calculi.
- A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of fluorine and lead in the calculi.
- Lead may substitute for calcium within the apatite structure of the inorganic matrix.
Conclusions:
- Salivary calculus composition exhibits sex-specific patterns regarding heavy metal incorporation.
- The positive correlation between fluorine and lead suggests a shared mechanism of uptake or deposition, potentially involving the apatite structure.