Detection of dentine lead level and its correlation with blood lead and child intelligence

Environmental pollution from lead has long been recognized to cause adverse effects in children. In the present study, personal lead exposure was assessed in teeth and blood and the correlation between their levels and child intelligence and school performance was detected. A cross sectional study which included primary school children attending the dental clinic of insurance hospital at Banha in a period of six months was carried out. The parents were given a questionnaire about family background and child health and performance. Each child supplied a shed tooth and a blood sample and answered an IQ scoring and schools achievement leveling sheets. Lead levels were determined in teeth and blood. 100 children completed all the steps. Their mean [ +/- S.D.] dentine lead was 2.678 [ +/- 1.421] ug/g and that of blood lead was 6.255 [ +/- 2.830] ug/dl. Dentine lead was significantly related to blood lead. Demographic factors that were associated with higher lead values included residence in urban areas, smoking parents and manually working fathers. IQ scores and school achievement results showed significant negative correlations with teeth and blood lead levels. Measuring dentine lead level in shedding deciduous teeth of children is an available noninvasive method that can be used in detection of lead levels