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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the association between prenatal and early life exposure to lead and the presence of molar hypomineralization (MH) in a group of Mexican children. Methods: A subset of participants of the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENTS) cohort study was examined for the presence of molar hypomineralization using European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (EAPD) criteria. Prenatal lead exposure was assessed by K-ray fluorescence measurements of patella and tibia lead and by maternal blood lead levels by trimester and averaged over trimesters. Postnatal exposure was assessed by levels of maternal blood lead at delivery and child blood lead at 12 and 24 months. Results: A subset of 506 subjects from the ELEMENT cohorts (nine to 18 years old) were examined for MH; 87 subjects (17.2 percent) had MH. Maternal blood lead levels in the third trimester (odds ratio [OR] equals 1.08; 95 percent confidence interval [95% CI] equals 1.02 to 1.15) and averaged over three trimesters (OR equals 1.10; 95% CI equals 1.02 to 1.19) were significantly associated with MH status. None of the maternal bone lead or the child’s blood lead parameters was significantly associated with the presence of MH (P>0.05). Conclusions: This study documents a significant association between prenatal lead exposure especially in late pregnancy and the odds of molar hypomineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Demarcated primary second molar hypomineralization (DMH-Es) is a common developmental defect of enamel, with prevalence estimates between five percent and 20 percent. From the Americas, studies exploring the problem of DMH-Es and explicitly using the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry diagnostic criteria were limited to some South American countries, but no similar studies were available from any of the North American countries including the United States. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of DMH-Es among schoolchildren in Indiana, USA. Methods: Four hundred twenty-three schoolchildren (average age equals 7.6 [±2.2 standard deviation] years) were examined by a calibrated pediatric dentist. Sociodemographic data were collected from patients' questionnaires and electronic dental records. Results: DMH-Es had a prevalence estimate of six percent versus 40 percent overall of any enamel defect (AED) of the primary second molars (PSMs) and/or the permanent first molars (PFMs). Race/ethnicity was significantly associated with a higher overall prevalence of AED of PSMs but not with the prevalence estimate of DMH-Es. Older age group (10 years or older), living in central Indiana, and water fluoridation were significantly associated with a higher overall prevalence of AEDs (P<0.01) but not with the prevalence of DMH-Es. Caries experience was significantly higher in children with demarcated molar hypomineralization (DMH) of PFMs and/or PSMs than in the group without. Conclusions: DMH-Es prevalence estimate was similar to the global figures. Certain demographic characteristics were significantly associated with the overall prevalence of the enamel defects of the examined teeth.