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Summary
Strontium in children's saliva showed a weak link to drinking water levels but a notable negative association with cavities. Saliva strontium increased rapidly after ingestion, highlighting its dynamic presence.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Trace Element Research
Background:
- Strontium is a trace element found in drinking water, with levels varying geographically.
- Understanding strontium's behavior in the body, particularly in children, is important for assessing potential health effects.
- Previous research has explored strontium's impact on bone health, but its relationship with dental health requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between strontium levels in drinking water and saliva among school-aged children.
- To explore the association between salivary strontium concentrations and the prevalence of dental caries.
- To examine the short-term kinetics of strontium absorption into saliva following a single oral dose.
Main Methods:
- Collection of unstimulated whole saliva samples from 91 fourteen-year-old school children across seven Wisconsin communities with diverse drinking water strontium concentrations.
- Analysis of strontium concentrations in saliva and drinking water using established laboratory methods.
- Assessment of dental caries prevalence in the study population.
- Administration of a single oral dose of strontium to a subset of participants to measure saliva strontium levels over time.
Main Results:
- Saliva strontium concentrations exhibited a weak correlation with drinking water strontium levels.
- A statistically significant negative association was observed between salivary strontium concentrations and caries prevalence.
- Salivary strontium levels increased rapidly post-ingestion, reaching up to 15 mg/l within one hour after a 30 mg single dose.
Conclusions:
- Salivary strontium levels in children are influenced by, but not directly proportional to, drinking water concentrations.
- Higher salivary strontium concentrations may be associated with a reduced prevalence of dental caries in children.
- Strontium is rapidly absorbed into saliva, indicating its bioavailability and potential for localized effects in the oral cavity.