Ability of fourteen chemical agents used in dental practice to induce chromosome aberrations in Syrian hamster embryo cells.

To assess the genotoxicity of 14 chemical agents used in dental practice, the ability of these agents to induce chromosome aberrations was examined using Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells. Statistically significant increases in the frequencies of chromosome aberrations were induced in SHE cells treated with 7 of 10 chemical agents used as endodontic medicaments, that is, carbol camphor, m-cresol, eugenol, guaiacol, zinc oxide, hydrogen peroxide, and formaldehyde. The other 3 chemical agents, that is, thymol, glutaraldehyde, and iodoform, did not increase the levels of chromosome aberrations.