Association of Labor-Related Medications With Molar Hypomineralization: An Experimental Study in Rats

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between administering medications used during delivery and molar hypomineralization (MH) development in rats. The hypothesis was that exposure to specific drugs used to induce childbirth could affect dental mineralization, potentially leading to MH. Methods: An experimental study was conducted using four pregnant Sprague Dawley (SD) albino rats. The rats were divided into four groups: one rat received 0.143 mg/Kg of dinoprostone, 0.714 mg/Kg of pethidine, and 0.036 mg/Kg of haloperidol; another rat received 0.143 mg/Kg of dinoprostone alone; a third rat was administered 0.714 mg/Kg of pethidine and 0.036 mg/Kg of haloperidol; the last rat served as a control group and received no treatment. On the 25th postpartum day, molar samples were extracted from the offspring's dental pulps, preserved in 0.1 percent thymol, and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to evaluate their mineral content. Statistical analysis of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, carbon, oxygen, and the calcium/phosphorus ratio was performed using one-way analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney U-tests at a 95 percent confidence level. Results: Significant differences (P<0.001) were found in magnesium and phosphorus levels in the group administered pethidine and haloperidol, indicating a significant impact on the mineral composition of teeth. Conclusion: The results suggest that medications administered during delivery could influence dental mineralization, potentially contributing to the development of molar hypomineralization.