Analysis of lead in circumpulpal dentin of deciduous teeth

Absorbed lead continuously adds to the lead deposited in the vascularized circumpulpal dentin of the teeth. Thus, this dental tissue is expected to contain a lead concentration which reflects the integrated lead exposure during the time from completion of tooth formation to tooth extraction or shedding. A method has been developed to assess the lead level in the dentin surrounding the pulp chamber in deciduous teeth. Variation within the tooth is minimal, but upper medial incisors show a slightly lower lead level than do other incisors, as assessed in 714 teeth from first-grade Danish school children. This tendency was not confirmed, however, in a small number of paired teeth from the same children. The new method appears advantageous for epidemiological studies of lead neurotoxicity in children.