With an Explosion of Autism, Higher Detection of 49 Pesticides in Baby Teeth of Diagnosed Children Raises Alarm

(Beyond Pesticides, August 28, 2026) A novel biomonitoring study, published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology, analyzes levels of pesticides and plasticizers in baby teeth, collected by parents after they are shed, in children with and without autism. In comparing teeth from the two groups of children, higher levels of pesticides are found in children with autism than in the control group. “We investigated cumulative pesticide and plasticizer exposures in shed baby teeth from children with and without autism,” the authors state. In highlighting the results, they continue: “Sixty compounds were detected in more than 50% of participants (n = 38). Of these, 95% (57/60) were higher in cases compared to controls, and 19/60 were statistically significantly elevated. Thirty-nine of the 60 compounds detected are known developmental toxicants or endocrine-disrupting compounds. To date, 21/60 compounds lack Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developmental toxicity data.”

The current body of biomonitoring studies primarily focuses on urine and blood, which provide insights into short-term exposure. Baby teeth, however, are able to capture long-term exposures from approximately 13-14 weeks in utero (time in the womb) through early childhood. In analyzing shed baby teeth, this study showcases elevated levels of toxicants in children with autism from early life exposure.