Exposure to chemicals in plastic and fungicides may irreversibly weaken children’s teeth

Chemicals commonly found in plastics and fungicides may be weakening children’s teeth by disrupting hormones that stimulate the growth of dental enamel, according to a new study presented today at the European Congress of Endocrinology.

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with mammalian hormones. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most prevalent, found in every-day items including refillable drink bottles and food storage containers. Vinclozolin is another endocrine disruptor that was commonly used as a fungicide in vineyards, golf courses and orchards.

Molar incisor hypermineralisation (MIH) is a pathology affecting up to 18% of children aged 6-9, in which the permanent first molars and incisors teeth that erupt have sensitive spots that become painful and are prone to cavities. These spots are found on dental enamel, the tough outer covering of teeth that protects it from physical and chemical damage. Unlike bone, enamel does not regrow and so any damage is irreversible. Previous rat studies have shown that MIH may result from exposure to BPA after finding similar damage to the enamel of rats that received a daily dose of BPA equivalent to normal human BPA exposure, though the exact mechanism of action remains unclear.

In this study, researchers from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) gave rats daily doses of BPA alone or in combination with vinclozolin, equivalent to an average dose a human would experience daily, from birth till they were thirty days old. They then collected cells from the rats’ teeth surface and found that BPA and vinclozolin changed the expression of two genes controlling the mineralisation of tooth enamel.

In part two of their experiment, the team cultured and studied rat ameloblast cells, which deposit enamel during the development of teeth. They found that the presence of sex hormones like oestrogen and testosterone boosted the expression of genes making tooth enamel, especially male sex hormones. As BPA and vinclozolin are known to block the effect of male sex hormones, the findings reveal a potential mechanism by which endocrine disruptors are weakening teeth.

“Tooth enamel starts at the third trimester of pregnancy and ends at the age of 5, so minimising exposure to endocrine disruptors at this stage in life as a precautionary measure would be one way of reducing the risk of enamel weakening”, said Dr Katia Jedeon, lead author of the study.

A game changer for children in the UK with diabetes - first of its kind diabetes sensing technology‏

Today, Abbott announced that it has received CE Mark (Conformité Européenne)for the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system indicated for children and teens with diabetes ages 4-17 years old^. This means that children and young people with diabetes living in the UK are able to experience the liberation from the pain and hassle of routine finger pricks.  

A person with diabetes typically self-monitors their glucose by pricking their fingers routinely to check their glucose level, enabling appropriate adjustments to insulin and diet to help achieve good glycemic control. However, according to research^, there is often reluctance from people with diabetes, especially children and adolescents, to perform this task, based in part on the discomfort and pain of finger prick.

Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system, which is available in the UK via the Abbott FreeStyle Libre website www.freestylelibre.co.uk, is designed to change how people with diabetes measure their glucose levels and ultimately help them achieve better health outcomes. The system reads glucose levels through a sensor that can be worn on the back of the upper arm for up to 14 days, eliminating the need for routine finger pricks.ⁱ In addition, no finger prick calibration is needed—a key differentiator from current continuous glucose monitoring systems.

"Children and teens with diabetes and their families have to navigate many challenges in their daily lives as they care for this complex condition," said Jared Watkin, senior vice president, diabetes care, Abbott. "The scientists and engineers at Abbott have made it their life's work to provide the most innovative technology to help people with diabetes improve their diabetes management and ultimately, live happier and healthier lives."  

In a recent accuracy study^iv, Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre system was clinically proven to be accurate, stable and consistent over 14 days without the need for finger prick calibration, for children and teens ages 4-17 years old. In addition, more than 97 percent of these children and teens said that FreeStyle Libre system is easier to use than finger prick testing.

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the European region has the highest number of children—ages 0-14—with type 1 diabetes compared with the other IDF regions* .  Within this region, the United Kingdom, the Russia Federation, and Germany have the highest rates of type 1 diabetes in children.^v

"The availability of FreeStyle Libre system for children is a critical milestone for children living with diabetes," said Dr. Emanuele Bosi, associate professor, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Università Vita-Salute in San Raffaele, Milan." The technology in Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre system is transformative because it changes how self-monitoring has been done for decades—and is proven to be accurate and stable.  I look forward to seeing my young patients achieve better diabetes management, while giving their parents and caretakers more peace of mind."

Caregivers of children with diabetes also can be challenged as they worry about such things as night-time hypoglycaemia (a low blood sugar level).. Authors of a 2013 study published in the journal Quality of Life Research noted that people with diabetes — type 1 or type 2 — experience hypoglycaemia while sleeping more frequently than many doctors realise.  A parent or caregiver often has to wake their child up during the night to test glucose—now with FreeStyle Libre system that can be done quickly, painlessly and without disturbing sleep.

Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre system is currently available in the United Kingdom, Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Spain.