Abstract
The concentration of trace elements has been measured for dental enamel from 86 healthy human teeth using particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The majority of the teeth (n = 70) were collected from dentists in the county of Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, although a smaller group (n = 16) were collected from Cornwall. The elements K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Pb, and Hg have been detected and statistically analyzed by grouping according to sex, age, and geographical location. The concentrations of Fe and Cu were found to be lower in the teeth from female donors (P < 5%) and are believed to result from the continued burden of blood loss during menstruation. Strong positive correlations (P < 0.1%) were found between Ca, Co, Ni, and Zn for all groups; these elements were also found to exhibit a negative correlation (P < 1%) with age for teeth from female donors. This is believed to be related to decalcification during the menopause. Pb was found to exhibit a positive correlation (P < 5%) with age for both sexes, and is believed to substitute for Ca in the Ca hydroxy apatite (HAP) within the dental enamel.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D.R. Mayer, W. Kosmus, H. Pogglitsch, D. Mayer, and W. Beyer, Essential trace elements in humans—serum arsenic concentrations in hemodialysis patients in comparison to healthy controls,Biol. Trace Element Res. 37, 27–38 (1993).
F. H. Nielsen, Ultratrace elements of possible importance for human health: an update,Progr. Clin. Biol. Res. 380, 355–376(1993).
Environmental Health Criteria 18—Arsenic, World Health Organization, Geneva (1981).
A. L. Leninger,Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Cell Structure and Function, 2nd ed., Worth, New York (1975).
K. G. Malmqvist, Biological and medical applications, inParticle-Induced X-ray Emission Spectrometry (PIXE), S. A. E. Johansson, J. L. Campbell, and K. G. Malmqvist, eds., Wiley, New York, pp 167–236 (1995).
S. A. E. Johansson and J. L. Campbell,PIXE: A Novel Technique for Elemental Analysis, Wiley, Chichester, pp 177–199 (1988).
M. A. Chaudhri and T. Ainsworth, Applications of PIXE to studies in dental and mental healths,Nuclear Instrum. Methods 181, 333–336 (1981).
H. J. Annegarn, A. Jodaikin, P. E. Cleaton-Jones, J. P. F. Sellschop, C. C. P. Madiba, and D. Bibby, PIXE analysis of caries related trace elements in tooth enamel,Nuclear lustrum. Methods 181, 323–326 (1981).
M. E. J. Curzon and D. C. Crocker, Relationships of trace elements in human tooth enamel to dental caries,Arch. Oral Biol. 23, 647–653 (1978).
D. W. Lane and C. A. Duffy, The analysis of trace elements in human teeth collected from the Oxfordshire area in the UK, presented at the 12th International Conference on Ion Beam Analysis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ May 22–26,1996.Nuclear lustrum. Methods B118, 392–395 (1996).
C. Patterson, J. Ericson, M. Manea-Krichten, and H. Shirahata, Natural skeletal levels of lead in Homo sapiens sapiens uncontaminated by technological lead,Sci. Total Environ. 107, 205–236 (1991).
B. Möller, L. E. Carlsson, G. I. Johansson, K. G. Malmqvist, L. Hammarström, and M. Berlin, Lead levels determined in Swedish permanent teeth by particle-induced X-ray emission,Scand. J. Work Environ. Health 8, 267–272 (1982).
A. J. Gwinnett, Structure and composition of enamel,Operative Dent. Supplement 5, 10–17 (1992).
E. Ochiai,Bioinorganic Chemistry: an Introduction, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, pp. 150–165 (1977).
N. Bohnen, J. Jolies, and C. P. Degenaar, Levels of trace elements in blood in healthy aging subjects, Z.Gerontol. 27, 324–327 (1994).
S. Takacs, A. Tatar, and L. Barkai, Trace elements in human blood, cerebrospinal and amniotic fluid,Zbl. Hyg. 193, 329–341 (1992).
P. Granjean, G. D. Nielsen, P. J. JØrgensen, and M. HØrder, Reference intervals for trace elements in blood: significance of risk factors,Scand. j. Clin. Lab. Invest. 52, 321–337 (1992).
E. Ochiai,Bioinorganic Chemistry: an Introduction, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, pp. 470–471 (1977).
R. Cleymaet, D. H. Retief, E. Quartier, D. Slop, D. Coomans, and Y. Michotte, A comparative study of the lead and cadmium content of surface enamel of Belgian and Kenyan children,Sci. Total Environ. 104, 175–189 (1991).
M. Manea-Krichten, C. Patterson, G. Miller, D. Settle, and Y. Erel, Comparative increases of lead and barium with age in human tooth enamel, rib and ulna,Sci. Total Environ. 107, 179–203 (1991).
S. P. McGrath and P. J. Loveland,The Soil Geochemical Atlas of England and Wales, 1st ed., Blackie Academic and Professional, Glasgow (1992).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lane, D.W., Peach, D.F. Some observations on the trace element concentrations in human dental enamel. Biol Trace Elem Res 60, 1–11 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02783305
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02783305