Effect of mobile phone use on metal ion release from fixed orthodontic appliances.
Saghiri MA, Orangi J, Asatourian A, Mehriar P, Sheibani N · 2015
View Original AbstractCell phone use increases nickel release from metal braces into saliva, with longer usage causing greater metal ion exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers studied 50 people with metal braces to see if cell phone use affected how much nickel (a metal in braces) was released into their saliva. After a week of no phone use, participants used their phones normally for another week. The study found that cell phone use significantly increased nickel levels in saliva, with longer phone use causing more nickel release from the orthodontic appliances.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning interaction between everyday technology and common medical devices that millions of teenagers and adults wear. The research demonstrates that radiofrequency radiation from cell phones can cause metal ions to leach from orthodontic appliances at higher rates - a finding with potential health implications given that nickel is a known allergen and can cause cellular damage. What makes this particularly relevant is that people with braces often hold phones close to their faces during calls, creating a direct exposure pathway. The dose-response relationship the researchers found (more phone use equals more metal release) strengthens the evidence that this is a real biological effect, not a statistical fluke. While the long-term health consequences aren't fully understood, this study adds to the growing body of evidence that EMF exposure can trigger measurable biological changes in the human body.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on the level of nickel in saliva.
Fifty healthy patients with fixed orthodontic appliances were asked not to use their cell phones for...
The 2-tailed paired-samples t test showed significant differences between the levels of nickel in th...
Mobile phone usage has a time-dependent influence on the concentration of nickel in the saliva of patients with orthodontic appliances.
Show BibTeX
@article{ma_2015_effect_of_mobile_phone_2551,
author = {Saghiri MA and Orangi J and Asatourian A and Mehriar P and Sheibani N},
title = {Effect of mobile phone use on metal ion release from fixed orthodontic appliances.},
year = {2015},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26038076/},
}