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A pilot study by The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center found elevated levels of toxicants in the primary teeth of children with autism compared with those of children without autism, including compounds known to disrupt development or the endocrine system.

Compounds with higher levels are found in fragrances and food preservatives, flame retardants and other baby products, PEX tubing, food contact materials such as packaging and containers, and products applied to the skin. Five of the nine compounds showing the greatest differences between groups can migrate from baby bottles.

The study suggests that children are being "chronically and repeatedly exposed" to a wider range of developmental toxicants than previously identified in short-term exposure studies, the scientists conclude. They say that while their work doesn't conclusively establish cause, it highlights a need for larger case-control studies to understand the effects of long-term exposure on autism.

The study, published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology, was led by Lynne P. Heilbrun, MPH, Ph.D., a research affiliate, and David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras, Ph.D., MSc, LPsy, a professor and chair, both with the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the UT San Antonio Kate Marmion School of Public Health.

The research team analyzed donated primary teeth from 22 children with autism and 16 typically developing children using a nontargeted approach to capture a broad range of chemical exposures.

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