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VOLUME 18 , ISSUE 2 ( February, 2025 ) > List of Articles

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Exploring the Correlation between Selected Oral Commensals and Deoxyribonucleic Acid Degradation in Pulp Tissue Extracted from Primary Teeth Stored in Dry and Wet Conditions: An Ex Vivo Polymerase Chain Reaction Investigation

Harshita Reddy, Swagata Saha, Manju Raman Nair, Veena Shetty, Kripa Dutta, Neevan D’Souza, Shriya C Shetty

Keywords : Deciduous tooth, Forensic medicine, Forensic odontology, Laboratory research, Oral microbiota, Polymerase chain reaction, Quantitative polymerase chain reaction

Citation Information : Reddy H, Saha S, Nair MR, Shetty V, Dutta K, D’Souza N, Shetty SC. Exploring the Correlation between Selected Oral Commensals and Deoxyribonucleic Acid Degradation in Pulp Tissue Extracted from Primary Teeth Stored in Dry and Wet Conditions: An Ex Vivo Polymerase Chain Reaction Investigation. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2025; 18 (2):173-180.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-3043

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 20-03-2025

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2025; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: Determining the postmortem interval (PMI) in forensic cases involving children is challenging owing to limited evidence. Deciduous teeth are valuable in forensic analysis because of their ability to preserve deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for longer than other tissues. Aim: This study investigated the effect of storage conditions (wet vs dry) on DNA degradation and microbial dynamics in deciduous teeth. Materials and methods: Forty-eight deciduous teeth from children aged 5–10 years were stored under wet or dry conditions. Each condition was evaluated at three time points: baseline (immediately postextraction), 1 month, and 6 months. DNA was extracted and quantified, and microbial profiles were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect common oral bacteria. Results: DNA quantification was highest immediately after extraction, with a significant decline over time. Under dry conditions, DNA levels remained higher than those under wet conditions. For dry storage, DNA quantification showed significant differences (p < 0.001), with baseline levels at 66.94 μg/mL, decreasing to 38.05 μg/mL at 1 month and 25.61 μg/mL at 6 months. Under wet conditions, DNA quantification also varied significantly (p < 0.001), with baseline levels at 73.30 μg/mL, reducing to 41.93 μg/mL at 1 month and 24.90 μg/mL at 6 months. Microbial analysis revealed that Fusobacterium nucleatum was significantly more prevalent at baseline (p = 0.022), whereas Streptococcus mutans increased after 6 months of dry storage (p = 0.027). Enterococcus faecalis and Lactobacillus displayed consistent prevalence across conditions (p > 0.05), indicating minimal variation. Conclusion: The environment in which deciduous teeth are stored significantly affects DNA preservation and microbial dynamics. These findings highlight the impact of environmental factors on DNA integrity and microbial profiles, emphasizing their importance in forensic analysis. Clinical significance: This study underscores the role of the environmental context in which teeth are found, affecting DNA and microbial data. This is crucial for accurate PMI estimation and forensic investigation of pediatric patients.

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