The chemical bisphenol A – better known as BPA – which is found in many plastic household products, including water bottles and baby bottles, has been associated with cancer, asthma and other health problems. And now, based on a study at Universté Paris-Diderot in Paris, it could be a threat to dental health. The researchers there say that early exposure to low daily doses of BPA may damage the enamel of children's teeth. Previous research has shown that about 18 percent of children between six and eight years old already have enamel problems.
In this study, the scientists found that regular exposure to BPA caused the incisors of rats to become more fragile and likely to become damaged. And they determined that the affect on the animals’ teeth was similar to the condition known as Molar Incisor Hypomineralisation, where children’s teeth become hypersensitive and more susceptible to cavities. The first years of life, when teeth form, is also when humans have been found to be most sensitive to the effects of BPA.
In response to concerns related to BPA, Europe banned the product in babies' bottles in January 2011. The law will extend to all food containers in France by July 2015. In March 2012, the United States Food and Drug Administration found no proof that low levels of BPA exposure are unsafe.
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Sourced from: Science Daily, Early Exposure to Bisphenol A Might Damage the Enamel of Teeth