Objective: Radiography is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools used in comprehensive dental care. Although there is no safe level of radiation exposure, the possible risk associated with exposure to radiation, must be elucidated. To date, a variety of assays have been proposed to assess the mutagenic potential of genotoxicants; however, these methods are typically laborious and time consuming. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible genotoxic effect of routinely used panoramic radiation exposure in exfoliated epithelial cells as measured by the formation of micronuclei and to compare the genotoxicity of X-rays on keratinized epithelial gingival cells and the nonkeratinized buccal epithelial cells.
Materials and methods: The study included 53 healthy individuals with a mean age of 25.21 ±12.67 years. Specimens of exfoliated epithelial cells were collected from patients subjected to panoramic radiography before and 10 days after radiation exposure. The cells were stained with Giemsa and evaluated for micronuclei by scoring 1000 cells per slide.
Results: In our study, the genotoxic effect of radiation exposure from panoramic radiography showed a statistically significant increase in the MN frequency in buccal epithelial cells. A significant correlation was observed between the age of the subjects and micronuclei, although no such correlation was found between gender and micronuclei count.
Conclusion: MN test serves as a simple biomarker indicating the direct exposure to DNA damaging agents such as ionizing radiation, emphasizing great sensitivity even for exposure to low doses during radiation screening. Thus, panoramic dental radiography should be cautiously used only when necessary.
Keywords: Epithelial Cells; Ionizing Radiation; Micronucleus Tests; Panoramic Radiography.