ABSTRACT
STUDY BACKGROUND: Dental amalgam is still widely used as a restorative material in developing countries due to its low cost and ease of manipulation. The health risks associated with the components of this restorative material has always been a matter of concern. Our study was designed to address this question regarding dental amalgam. OBJECTIVE: To study sister chromatid exchange (SCE) as an indicator of systemic genotoxicity, due to the exposure from the components of amalgam restorations during its placement and chronic use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systemic genotoxicity in subjects exposed to amalgam during its placement (Group II; n=5) and subjects with chronic exposure to amalgam (Group III; n=5) were compared with controls (Group I; n=5) by SCE assay in cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes. RESULT: Subjects exposed to amalgam during its placement and subjects having chronic exposure to amalgam showed an increase in the frequency of SCE, but the change was not statistically significant (P=0.84, P=0.123 respectively). CONCLUSION: Systemic genotoxicity was not observed due to the components of amalgam restorations released during its placement and chronic use. The findings of this study can be considered as preliminary information on the systemic toxicity due to the components of amalgam restorations.
Subject(s)
Dental Amalgam/toxicity , Dental Restoration, Permanent/adverse effects , Sister Chromatid Exchange , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Risk Assessment , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test is a sensitive, biomarker of genotoxic substances. The frequency of SCE in lymphocytes of ten pan chewing patients, oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) patients and age matched healthy controls were investigated. The frequency of mean SCE/cell was found to be 10.428 ± 0.755 in OSF patients, 8.752 ± 0.383 in case of pan chewers as compared to 5.912 ± 0.310 in controls. These values show a significant increase in frequency of SCE/cell in OSF patients and pan chewers when compared with that of healthy controls. There is a positive correlation co-efficient of SCE/cell with frequency, quantity, duration, intensity and period of exposure of pan-parag to oral mucosa in pan chewers and OSF patients indicating genotoxic effect of pan. Thus SCE could be used as a biomarker in chewers also to assess the level of genomic damage and to advocate efficient control measures.
