The Effect of a Bicarbonate-Phosphate Combination, without and with Fluoride, on the Growth and Dental Caries in the Rat

Abstract

A total of 49 rats was littermate-distributed into three dietary groups when 21 days old. The control group (C) was fed a cariogenic nutritionally adequate high- sucrose diet for 40 days. The second group (BP) received the same diet as group C except that 4% of the sucrose component of the diet was replaced by a combination Phosphate, dietary NaHCO₃ + KH₂PO₄ (mole ratio 9.82/1). The third group (BPF) was fed the same diet as group BP except that NaF was also added to the sucrose to give 10 ppm F addition to the whole of diet. The mean gain of body weight in the BPF group was 55% higher than in group C (p < 0.001). In the BPF group, also the weight and length of the femurs were greater than in group C. The mean number of fissure cavities in lower molars was 76% less in group BP (p < 0.01) and 80% less in group BPF (p < 0.01) than in group C. The mean number of approximal lesions involving the dentino-enamel junction was in group BPF 65% less than in group C (p < 0.01) and 32% less in group BP than in group C (p < 0.1). A nearly tenfold increase in bone fluoride was found in the animals of the BPF group.

Effect of Fluoridated Sucrose on Rat Caries

“…This resulted in greater body weights of the fluoridated diet groups. These findings are in agreement with those of Luoma et al [1972b] who added 10 ppm fluoride to a cariogenic rat diet and also noted a significant weight gain when com pared to control animals fed a nonfluoridated diet. Fluoride is not only deposited in developing teeth, but is also deposited in the bones of growing ani mals.…”

“…Fluoride is not only deposited in developing teeth, but is also deposited in the bones of growing ani mals. Luoma et al [1972b] demonstrated that the femurs of rats fed a diet with 10 ppm fluoride con tained ten times the amount of fluoride when com pared to the control group. The femurs were also longer in the animals with fluoride in the diet.…”

Effect on caries in mentally handicapped children of addition of fluoride and bicarbonate‐phosphate to dietary sugar products

“…LUOMA, HURSKAINEN Sc ISOKANGAS (24), LuO'MA & LUO'M.^ (23) and TuRTOLA & LuOMA (43) found that inclusion of NajCOj or NaHCO, with alkali orthophosphate into sugar could more or less correct the drop of plaque pH and the inorganic phosphate which tend to decrease during or after carbohydrate (6,11,16,25,30,35,36). Similar findings on elevation of plaque phosphate have also been Rat experiments (26, 27,29) showed that marked caries reductions were obtained by bicarbonate-phosphate or bicarbonate-phosphate-fluoride combinations mixed into the dietary sugar without causing calcifications of the kidneys (22).…”

“…1 btit it must be low, as tlie amount of vehicle ingested was small. The trend of enhanced dental calculus formation in the test grotip may be pardy attributable to the bicarbonatephosphate, as this combination tended slightly to increase the calculus formation in rats (29). However, the amount of calculus was rather low in the test group and it may not as such introduce any contraindication for use of the bicarbonate-phosphate additions.…”

“…Rat experiments (26, 27,29) showed that marked caries reductions were obtained by bicarbonate-phosphate or bicarbonate-phosphate-fluoride combinations mixed into the dietary sugar without causing calcifications of the kidneys (22).…”