Detection of toxic elements using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in smokers’ and nonsmokers’ teeth and investigation of periodontal parameters

Abstract

A laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) was built and optimized to detect levels of toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic present in the roots of extracted teeth of smokers and nonsmokers. Sixty extracted teeth from patients having a history of chronic periodontitis were divided into two groups of 30 teeth each for smoker and nonsmoker patients and, as controls, a third group of 30 patients who did not have a history of chronic periodontitis. The respective elemental concentration (Pb, Cd, and As) 23-29, 0.26-0. 31, and 0.64-11 ppm are for nonsmokers, 35-55, 0.33-0.51, and 0.91-1.5 ppm are for smokers, and lastly 0.17-0.31, 0.01-0.05, and 0.05-0.09 ppm are for control group. In order to test the validity of the results achieved using our LIBS system, a standard inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique was also applied for the analysis of the same teeth samples, and ICP results were found to be in excellent agreement with our LIBS results. In addition to this, the gingival index, plaque index, clinical attachment loss (CAL) and probing pocket depth were also recorded. Our LIBS spectroscopic analysis showed high levels of lead, cadmium, and arsenic concentration on root surfaces of teeth, which may be due to CAL.

High levels of heavy metal accumulation in dental calculus of smokers: a pilot inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry study

“…In the present study, overexpression of these HMS may be due to chronic exposure of tobacco smoke, which may result in accumulation of these HMs on dental calculus over the years. Similar to our results, overaccumulation of Cd and Pb in the teeth of smokers than non‐smokers has been reported in previously mentioned studies .…”

“…Permanent teeth have also been used for the evaluation of HM exposure. Accumulation of Cd and Pb in the teeth of smokers is reported to be more than that of non‐smokers . However, the extraction of healthy permanent teeth for environmental biomonitoring is not acceptable .…”

Smoking habit modulates peri‐implant microbiome: A case‐control study

“…In 2011, Ata-ali et al 43 Smoking and its derivatives deeply affect gingival/peri-implant tissues, altering capillary density and blood flow, 44,45 reducing pO 2 , 46 inducing the presence of toxic agents in gingival fluid 47 and altering bone-related gene expression in bones and the cytokine profile in peri-implant tissues, 15,48 which could explain these dissimilarities in microbiota. Additionally, smoking has been demonstrated to have the capacity to alter bacterial functionality or medium characteristics.…”

Cadmium Exposure Disrupts Periodontal Bone in Experimental Animals: Implications for Periodontal Disease in Humans

“…Human teeth were shown to be a site of Cd accumulation, and presumably, a source of exposure to adjacent alveolar bone. In a study of both smokers and non-smokers with periodontal disease, tooth Cd levels were ten-fold or higher when compared with teeth from patients who did not have periodontal disease [ 21 ]. Therefore, the possibility exists that Cd is absorbed into teeth from dental restorations or tobacco smoke, and may have direct effects on neighboring periodontal bone.…”

“…Blood and urinary Cd levels are associated with periodontal disease in the US [ 18 ] and South Korea [ 19 , 20 ]. Actual tooth Cd content was higher in a group of patients with periodontal disease [ 21 ]. However, other studies did not find significant associations between blood Cd levels and periodontal disease in South Korea [ 22 ] or Poland [ 23 ].…”