Fluoride and Pilocarpine Reduce the Risk of Caries Produced by Chronic Clomipramine Treatment in Rats

Abstract

The effects of chronic clomipramine treatment on the incidence of caries in the rat and their prevention by fluoride and pilocarpine were investigated. One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were divided into six groups, five experimental groups, one control group and treated with 50 mg/kg/day of clomipramine, 10 ppm fluoride in drinking water, and 5 mg/kg/day of pilocarpine. All animals were infected with Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 and fed a cariogenic diet ad libitum for 42 days. Water and food consumption, weight gain, salivary flow rate, amylase activity, protein and fluoride concentration in saliva, and caries scores were determined in all animals. Whereas clomipramine significantly increased the fluoride and protein concentration in saliva, pilocarpine only decreased fluoride concentration. Animals treated with clomipramine developed 40% more sulcal caries than nontreated animals. Administration of fluoride (10 ppm) in drinking water and chronic oral administration of pilocarpine prevented the increased risk of developing caries associated with chronic treatment with clomipramine.

The Effect of Chronic Clonidine Administration on Salivary Glands and Caries in the Rat

“…Pilocarpine has been found to significantly reduce sulcal caries in rats [Leach and Connell, 1990] and reduce caries development in partially desalivated animals [O'Connell et al, 1994]. More recently, pilocarpine given during chronic clomipramine administration was shown to reduce caries in rats [Martínez-Gomis et al, 1997]. The results of our study and others [Rand et al, 1969;Izumi et al, 1995] suggest that a cholinergic agonist, such as pilocarpine, is effective in stimulating salivary function during clonidine administration.…”

“…Others have reported increased incidence of caries in animals chronically administered the -adrenergic agonist isoproterenol [Ryberg et al, 1988] or the antidepressant clomipramine, which has a marked anticholinergic effect [Martínez-Gomis et al, 1997]. Using our animal caries model we have now examined the potential of chronic administration of clonidine to increase susceptibility to dental caries.…”