Introduction: Pesticides can cause acute or chronic effects on human health. Many pesticides can cause damage to genetic material. These changes in genetic information have been associated with an increased risk of cancer. Objective: To investigate damage to genetic material in a population of children potentially expo- sed to pesticides in the environment. Method: The study design was observational and cross sectional. We studied 48 children potentially exposed to pesticides and 46 unexposed children. Samples of the oral mucosa were obtained to determine damage to genetic material using micronucleus frequency (MN). Results: Higher average micronucleus counts were found in the group potentially exposed to pesticides (5.1 ± 2.9 vs 1.8 ± 2.0, p < 0.0001), along with a higher average of binucleate cells (3.5 ± 2.7 vs 1.4 ± 1.4 p < 0.0001), higher frequen- cy of karyorrhexis (18.2 ± 18.4 vs 5.8 ± 18.4, p < 0.004) and pyknosis (24.8 ± 18.0 vs 17.1 ± 8.3; p < 0.03). Of the children potentially exposed to pesticides, 40% (19/47) had an exposure time of 6 years. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of genetic damage in the population potentially exposed to pesticides in the environment.