Chemical composition of enamel and dentine in primary teeth in children from Thailand exposed to lead

Enamel and dentine in teeth of children with high blood levels of lead were analyzed by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and X-ray micro-analyses (XRMA) and compare with teeth from children with low blood levels of lead. The SIMS analysis revealed detectable levels of Pb in dentine close to the pulp. The XRMA analyses could not detect any lead. There were no differences found in lead level in enamel of high lead level exposed teeth from low level exposed. The results confirm that children with high blood levels of lead have an uptake of lead in dentine close to the pulp.