RETRACTED ARTICLE: Histological study of the parenchymatous cells in mice parotid salivary glands exposed to dental radiograph

Background: Ionizing radiation has been linked to an increased incidence of salivary gland cancers and xerostomia. Saliva has antibacterial and enzymatic properties, and the parotid glands are made up of serous acini. Myoepithelial cells are essential for acinar salivary secretion.Methods: This research investigated the potential risks associated with dental X-rays and provided evidence-based recommendations for safe use. It was found that exposure to radiation causes a decline in hemoglobin binding to the erythrocyte membrane.Results: Dental X-ray exposure causes acute inflammatory destruction, and alterations do not fully restore the parotid tissue histology.Conclusion: Even low doses of radiation from dental X-rays can increase the risk of developing cancer and other health problems, and further studies are needed to mitigate these effects and improve patient outcomes.Keywords: Dental X-rays; Parotid salivary gland; Inflammatory destructionEditorial Expression of Concern20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about insufficient peer review. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community of this incidence as we asses if the reported scientific findings are reliable.Retraction in Process26 June 2025: Following a detailed post-publication assessment, critical ethical and methodological concerns have been identified in this article. Specifically, the study involved in vivo experimentation on 75 mice without any declaration of institutional ethical approval, and lacked essential methodological details such as radiation dosage, equipment parameters, and quantitative analysis. These deficiencies make the findings scientifically unreliable. A formal process of retracting this article has been initiated based on these post-publication findings. The retraction process will be completed after responses from the authors. Meanwhile, full text of the article shall remain unavailable for citation (this notice has been issued in alignment with COPE guidance and industry best practices). A show cause notice has also been issued to the relevant editorial team member for oversight in the peer-review process.Retraction Note23 July 2025: The Editor-in-Chief, upon the recommendation of the Inquiry Team, has retracted this article due to the above mentioned scientific deficiencies revealed by an internal audit.The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding this retraction.