Mutagenicity

Mutagenicity is the ability of a chemical to cause mutations in genes of plants, microbes or animals. It has been developed into tests which assess this property of materials in the laboratory. One such test is the Ames’ test, which uses genetic mutations in a strain of Salmonella bacteria. It is accepted that positive mutagenesis by a substance in this test may have some relationship to possible carcinogenesis in humans.

Formaldehyde may be associated with a very slight increase in nasal cancer in humans, otherwise it appears to have little effect on human cancer. It is also mutagenic in the Ames’ test.

Epoxy compounds show mutagenesis, but the endodontic materials are not considered to carry a carcinogenic risk in humans.

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