Purpose: Tooth enamel might provide past chronological metabolic, nutritional status and trace metal exposure during development. Thus, the trace elements distribution embedded in tooth tissues represents an archive of the environmental conditions. The choice of biomarker is estimated as critical to the measurement of metal exposure. Natal teeth are defined as teeth being present at birth.
Methods: LA-ICP-MS provides a quantitative assessment of spatial distribution of trace elements in a natal tooth. The objective of the current study was to compare concentrations of building and other elements in a rare but reliable and valid biomarker - natal tooth.
Results: It have been reported presence of potentially toxic elements: Pb, Cu, Mn, Cd, Ni distributed in prenatally and perinatally formed enamel and dentine.
Conclusions: Analyses of deciduous enamel can provide answers into individuals' earliest development, including critical pre- and perinatal period.
Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-021-00611-2.
Keywords: Imaging; LA-ICP-MS; Natal tooth; Trace elements.
© The Author(s) 2021.