CEHC Publishes New Research on BPA and Dental Sealants
Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc and Perry Sheffield, MD help produce research on BPA in dental sealants.
The October issue of Pediatrics will feature research conducted by Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc and Perry Sheffield, MD of Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center (CEHC).
In the article "Bisphenol A and Related Compounds in Dental Materials: A Critical Review," Dr. Landrigan and Dr. Sheffield collaborated with a team of researchers to evaluate the bisphenol A (BPA) content of dental materials and suggest ways to manage BPA exposures.
BPA is released from dental resins through enzymes in saliva, and it is detectable in saliva for up to 3 hours after resin placement. To reduce exposure, the article suggests rubbing dental materials with pumice to remove the top liquefied layer of sealants. After application, immediately rinse the surface with water for 30 seconds to decrease salivary BPA levels.
Despite possible risks of exposure, the study recommends the continued use of sealants in pediatric dentistry, as exposure is brief and the benefits of resin-based dental sealants are substantial in preventing cavities. However, they recommend that the use of these materials should be minimized during pregnancy, and they encourage manufacturers to develop materials with less estrogenic potential.
About the Children's Environmental Health Center
Mount Sinai's Children's Environmental Health Center conducts research to protect children against environmental threats to health. Our investigations seek to discover the environmental causes of such diseases as asthma, learning disabilities, autism, obesity, and childhood cancer. We transmit our research to pediatricians, policy makers, parents, and all who care for children.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2023-2024.
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