What are we asking you?
Like all children between the ages of 5 and 12, yours have probably lost some baby teeth. We are asking you to collect one tooth (or several) so that we can study your children's exposure to some chemical compounds and estimate its medium-term health impact.
Why baby teeth?
Formation of baby teeth starts at the end of the pregnancy. During their synthesis, they "capture" compounds to which the mother and then the child were exposed, such as heavy metals and organic compounds (pesticides, phthalates, etc.). These compounds are known to have endocrine-disrupting effects and may modify children's cognitive development and metabolism. When teeth are ground finely, they offer a unique opportunity to retrace pre- and early postnatal chemical exposures.
Whose teeth are wanted?
To carry out this project effectively, we need to have information about the child at different ages. This request is therefore addressed to children who participated in all three preceding follow-up stages (at 1, 2, and 5½ years).
How are we are going to proceed?
As usual, your participation in this new project is not mandatory and will not influence your child's subsequent follow-up in the Epipage 2 study. In November, 2019, we sent you a small package containing:
-a small plastic tube, identified by a random number, in which you can place the baby tooth,
-a form inside the tube, on which you can describe how the tooth fell out,
-and a pre-addressed stamped envelope in which you can send the tooth to us.
What tooth should you send us?
-If you have saved some teeth that have already fallen out, send us whichever one you want.
-If you have not saved them, wait for the next one to fall out!
Where are we at?
To date, 752 children have participated in this collection. 70 children have even sent us two or more teeth!
You lost the tube?
Get in touch with us!
Have you already sent a tooth? If you would like to send us more, they are welcome!
Get in touch with us!