Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 8, 2025

Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants
08:12

Micro-dissection of Enamel Organ from Mandibular Incisor of Rats Exposed to Environmental Toxicants

Published on: March 29, 2018

10.3K

DENTAL CARIES INTENSITY IN CHILDREN WITH DISTURBANCES IN TOOTH FORMATION, SURVIVED AFTER THE CHORNOBYL NPP ACCIDENT

S F Liubarets1

  • 1Bogomolets National Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, 13 Tarasa Shevchenko Blvd., Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine.

Problemy Radiatsiinoi Medytsyny Ta Radiobiolohii
|December 29, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Children with tooth formation disturbances living in Chernobyl-affected areas show significantly higher dental caries intensity. Systemic enamel hypoplasia (SEH) presented higher caries rates than molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) in permanent teeth.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Radiation Biology

Background:

  • The Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident resulted in widespread radiological contamination.
  • Disturbances in tooth formation (DTF) are a known health concern.
  • The impact of living in contaminated territories on dental health, particularly in children with DTF, requires thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess and compare dental caries intensity in children with DTF residing in radiologically contaminated areas.
  • To evaluate the influence of specific DTF subtypes, namely systemic enamel hypoplasia (SEH) and molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), on caries development.
  • To analyze the correlation between radiation exposure history and dental caries prevalence in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A study cohort of 1470 children aged 6-14 years was recruited, including 528 residents of contaminated territories.
  • Children with DTF were classified into SEH and MIH subtypes.
  • Dental caries intensity was measured using df+DMF and dfs+DMFS coefficients for mixed occlusion and DMF and DMFS coefficients for permanent occlusion. Personal radiation history was recorded.

Main Results:

  • Children with DTF in contaminated areas exhibited significantly higher caries intensity compared to exposed children without DTF and the control group (p < 0.001).
  • The highest caries intensity in permanent teeth was observed in children with SEH (6.95 ± 2.3) compared to those with MIH (5.68 ± 1.97).
  • Significant differences in caries intensity (df+DMF, dfs+DMFS) were noted in children with mixed occlusion (7.2 ± 2.07 and 8.98 ± 2.4, p < 0.001) and permanent occlusion (DMF = 6.79 ± 2.34, DMFS = 8.69 ± 2.75, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Children aged 6-14 years with DTF living in Chornobyl-contaminated territories demonstrate markedly elevated caries intensity.
  • Factors contributing to high caries intensity likely include low-dose ionizing radiation and socioeconomic factors such as unbalanced diet.
  • Systemic enamel hypoplasia (SEH) in children exposed to Chornobyl fallout is associated with significantly higher permanent tooth caries intensity compared to molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH).
Abstract

Keywords:
ChNPP accidentcarieschildrendisturbances in tooth formationionizing radiationmolarincisor hypomineralizationsystemic enamel hypoplasia

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues06:16

Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues

Published on: April 26, 2024

875
Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

10.6K

Related Concept Videos

Tooth Anatomy01:21

Tooth Anatomy

The human tooth enables us to eat a variety of foods, speak clearly, and even aid in shaping our faces. Teeth are composed of various elements that work together. Here's a detailed look at the anatomy of a human tooth.
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
1.2K
Teeth01:15

Teeth

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...
865
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together...
20.5K
Biological Effects of Radiation02:59

Biological Effects of Radiation

All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break chemical bonds, or ionize molecules. The most serious biological damage results when these radioactive emissions fragment or ionize molecules. For example, α and β particles emitted from nuclear decay reactions possess much higher energies than ordinary chemical bond energies. When these particles strike and penetrate matter, they...
16.2K