Include potential health effects of BPA in children when highlighting dental sealants.
A USA Today article detailing a new report of bisphenol A leaching from dental sealants should report on suspected health effects in children, not adults.
An article in USA Today describes a new study that shows placement of dental sealants containing bisphenol A (BPA) can lead to spikes of BPA in saliva that are 88 times higher than background levels. Reporter Liz Szabo carefully balances the risks associated with BPA exposure – its reported toxicity – with the benefits of having dental sealants placed to protect from cavities.
Where the article falters is in its discussion of the possible effects of BPA on those individuals who are most likely to receive dental sealants: children and adolescents. While the effects of BPA on adults are discussed briefly, these studies are not likely to apply to children and teens. Only a limited number of studies examine the effects of BPA in children. However, animal studies help determine its potential effects on that age group.
Studies from rodents indicate that exposure to BPA when organs are forming can alter development of the brain, the male and female reproductive tracts, the immune and cardiovascular systems, and the mammary gland. Exposure can also affect behaviors. Many organs are sensitive to hormones and toxicants like BPA from conception through puberty, which suggests that adolescents are still at risk.
A sidebar next to Szabo's article advises ways to reduce children's exposures to BPA at the dentist. One is to request sealants that do not contain BPA. In doing so, parents do not have to choose between BPA exposures and cavities. Reporter Szabo could have stressed this point in the text of her piece as well.
BPA has received a lot of attention because of its use in baby bottles, the linings of food cans, and in carbonless paper as well as its widespread presence in people. This article does an excellent job of informing readers of the presence of BPA in some dental sealants, and the possibility of large spikes in BPA exposure following sealant application. Ultimately, articles such as these are useful for parents who want to be informed about the pros and cons of preventive measures, such as dental sealants. But, they are more helpful and valuable if they provide the best information available.
