Evaluation of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity amongst in dental surgeons and technicians by micronucleus assay

Introduction: Dental surgeons and technicians are continuously exposed to agents could be affect the genetic material and induce mutations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic occupational risk of dental surgeons and technicians through the micronucleated cells (MNC) and nuclear abnormalities (NA) assay in oral mucosa. Methods: Case-control study. We have collected a buccal mucosa from dental surgeons, dental technicians and healthy individuals (matched by BMI, age and gender). The smears were fixed (ethanol 80%/48 h), stained (orange acridine) and analyzed (microscope, 100×). The frequency of MNC and NA (binucleated cells [BNC], lobulated nucleus [LN], condensed chromatins [CC], karyorrhexis [KR], pyknosis (PN) and karyolysis [KL] were counted in 2,000 cells per participant. Results: 90 samples were collected (26 surgeons, 19 technicians and 45 controls). Compared with controls, exception of PN, in surgeons was higher frequency and positive association of MNC and all NA (p<0.05). Technicians were higher frequency of MNC, BNC, CC, KR and CD (p<0.05). Conclusion: The dental surgeons and technicians have genotoxic and cytotoxic damage, demonstrated by MNC and NA, which are related to an increase risk of cancer, chronic degenerative diseases and premature aging. It is necessary to improve biosecurity actions and implement routine genotoxic risk detection methods. *Correspondence to: Olivia Torres Bugarín, Sistema Nacional de Investigadores II, Laboratorio de Evaluación de Genotóxicos, Programa Internacional de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Lomas del Valle, Zapopan, Jalisco, México, E-mail: oliviatorres@hotmail.com