The Effects of Household Corrosive Chemicals on Human Dentition*

Abstract

There is a gap in the literature concerning the chemical effects that household products may produce on human remains. The present study examines the effects of household chemical products on teeth. A total of eight chemicals were utilized for this experiment. The corrosive chemical categories include: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and sodium hydroxide. Two products with each chemical were used, each representing varying concentrations of the corrosive product. Two human teeth were allocated for emergence in the chemical throughout a 24-h period of exposure. Results demonstrate hydrochloric acid as the most detrimental chemical to the dental samples. Sulfuric acid enacted minimal alterations to the teeth, although some etching and discoloration were noticeable. Phosphoric acid resulted in variable changes of the organic and inorganic contents of teeth. Lastly, exposure of sodium hydroxide resulted in little to no change. As hypothesized, distinct effects are observable of each chemical.

Evaluation of DNA typing as a positive identification method for soft and hard tissues immersed in strong acids

“…Compact bone consistently proved to be the only tissue allowing STR-based identification of the experimental samples at the most advanced stages of corrosion, regardless of the acid type (2 days for hydrochloric acid and aqua regia, 7 days for nitric acid, and 28 days for sulfuric acid). These time intervals always exceeded those reported for teeth samples in the case of both the molecular assays used in the present research (7 days for sulfuric acid only) and the morphological methods evaluated in previous studies (<24 h for hydrochloric and nitric acid, approximately 4 to 10 days for sulfuric acid) [5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

“…Highly mineralized enamel and dentine constitute an effective physical barrier that protects dental pulp from environmental degrading agents. However, previous studies on isolated teeth have demonstrated [5][6][7][8][9][10] that strong acids (especially hydrochloric and nitric acid) can rapidly erode the enamel and expose the dentine surface. In this respect, the results of our immersion experiments indicated that the mechanical protective effect of alveolar bone on teeth was limited in the case of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and aqua regia, and that acid digestion times for whole mandibles/maxillae did not significantly diverge from those reported in previous studies in relation to isolated teeth [5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

“…However, previous studies on isolated teeth have demonstrated [5][6][7][8][9][10] that strong acids (especially hydrochloric and nitric acid) can rapidly erode the enamel and expose the dentine surface. In this respect, the results of our immersion experiments indicated that the mechanical protective effect of alveolar bone on teeth was limited in the case of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and aqua regia, and that acid digestion times for whole mandibles/maxillae did not significantly diverge from those reported in previous studies in relation to isolated teeth [5][6][7][8][9][10]. In immersion experiments with nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and aqua regia, we also noted that the destruction of DNA-rich pulp tissue appeared to immediately follow the erosive process leading to the complete loss of the morphological characteristics of the teeth in less than 48 h. On the contrary, sulfuric acid treatment preserved teeth and surrounding bone structures for a longer time, consequently we observed that DNA typing was still possible at the 7-day interval.…”

“…Since dental enamel is the strongest component of the human skeleton, and teeth can therefore withstand severe physical and chemical injuries still allowing a comparison with antemortem records, most studies have focused on the effects of corrosive products on human dentition. In particular, Mazza et al [5] were the first to note that isolated teeth were completely dissolved after 12-17 h of immersion in hydrochloric acid, nitric acid or aqua regia (i.e., a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid in 1:3 volume ratio), while the destruction of teeth samples immersed in sulfuric acid was still incomplete after 90 h. of either pure solutions or household products containing sulfuric, hydrochloric and nitric acid [6][7][8][9][10] gave consistent results and generally indicated that teeth were fully destroyed in nitric and hydrochloric acid within 24 h, whereas sulfuric acid digestion required more time (i.e., between 97 h [10] and 240 h [8]). …”

Urinary heavy metals, phthalates, phenols, thiocyanate, parabens, pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons but not arsenic or polyfluorinated compounds are associated with adult oral health: USA NHANES, 2011–2012

“…Previously, research demonstrated hydrochloric acid as the most detrimental chemical to the dental samples while sulfuric acid enacted minimal alterations to the teeth, although some etching and discoloration were also noticeable (Cope and Dupras 2009). In addition, phosphoric acid resulted in variable changes of the organic and inorganic contents of teeth.…”