Reproductive toxicity evaluation of the dental resin monomer triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (CASRN 109-16-0) in mice.

The reproductive toxicity potential of the resin monomer triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA; Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number 109-16-0) was investigated in male and female Crl:CD1(ICR) mice, 4 dosage groups, 25 mice/sex/group. Formulations of TEGDMA (0, 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 mg/kg/d) in reverse osmosis-processed deionized water were intubated once daily beginning 28 days before cohabitation and continuing through mating (males) or through gestation day 17 (females). The following parameters were evaluated: viability, clinical signs, body weights, estrous cyclicity, necropsy observations, organ weights, sperm concentration/motility/morphology, cesarean-sectioning and litter observations, and histopathological evaluation of select tissues. No deaths or clinical signs related to TEGDMA occurred. No significant changes in male and female body weights and body weight gains were recorded for any of the administered dosages of TEGMDA. All mating and fertility parameters and all litter and fetal data were considered to be unaffected by dosages of TEGMDA as high as 1 mg/kg/d. Gross or histopathologic tissue changes attributable to the test article were not observed. Reproductive and developmental no observed adverse effect levels (NOAELs) for TEGMDA were 1.0 mg/kg/d, the highest dose tested. Comparison of conservatively estimated TEGDMA exposures from dental treatments to the NOAEL of 1.0 mg/kg/d identified in this study indicates margins of exposure of at least 120- to 3000-fold depending on the exposure scenario. The results of this study support the continued safe use of TEGDMA in polymeric dental products applied according to the manufacturers' instructions.