Determination of in vitro radiation sensitivity of human tooth dentin to neutron and photon radiations using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

The response of human tooth dentin and enamel to neutron and gamma radiation was investigated using EPR spectroscopy. The EPR signals magnitude of crown dentin is 8.6±1.3 times and root dentin is 9.5±2 times lower than the signals of enamel exposed to 60Co gamma rays. The relative response of enamel, dentin crown and root dentin to fast neutrons of 14 MeV were determined as 3.3±4.4%, 18.3±11.8%, and 36.9±18.9%, respectively. The dentin was shown to be a preferable tooth tissue for assessment of the neutron component and enamel – for assessment of the photon component of the dose from the mixed radiation field.