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. 1996 Mar;104(3):298–305. doi: 10.1289/ehp.96104298

Estrogenicity of resin-based composites and sealants used in dentistry.

N Olea 1, R Pulgar 1, P Pérez 1, F Olea-Serrano 1, A Rivas 1, A Novillo-Fertrell 1, V Pedraza 1, A M Soto 1, C Sonnenschein 1
PMCID: PMC1469315  PMID: 8919768

Abstract

We tested some resin-based composites used in dentistry for their estrogenic activity. A sealant based on bisphenol-A diglycidylether methacrylate (bis-GMA) increased cell yields, progesterone receptor expression, and pS2 secretion in human estrogen-target, serum-sensitive MCF7 breast cancer cells. Estrogenicity was due to bisphenol-A and bisphenol-A dimethacrylate, monomers found in the base paste of the dental sealant and identified by mass spectrometry. Samples of saliva from 18 subjects treated with 50 mg of a bis-GMA-based sealant applied on their molars were collected 1 hr before and after treatment. Bisphenol-A (range 90-931 micrograms) was identified only in saliva collected during a 1-hr period after treatment. The use of bis-GMA-based resins in dentistry, and particularly the use of sealants in children, appears to contribute to human exposure to xenoestrogens.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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