COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF THE FEEDING OF FLUORIDES AS THEY OCCUR IN PURIFIED BONE MEAL POWDER, DEFLUORINATED PHOSPHATE AND SODIUM FLUORIDE, IN DOGS

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Walter G. Zoller Memorial Dental Clinic, Department of Pathology, and Division of Roentgenology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

1. Studies on 21 litters of dogs have revealed there was no significant alteration in serum calcium and phosphorus, hemoglobin, blood coagulation time and growth in dogs fed fluorine as it occurs in sodium fluoride, purified bone meal powder, and defluorinated phosphate at a level of 5 mgm. per kilogram of body weight daily, up to a period of about 1 year, under these experimental conditions. Chronic studies covering longer periods of time are in progress.

2. Puppies fed 5 mgm. of fluorine as sodium fluoride per kilogram of body weight daily during the period of calcification of their teeth developed a dental fluorosis and stored excessive fluorine in their bones, while other puppies fed the same level of fluorine as it occurs in purified bone meal powder and defluorinated phosphate did not develop dental fluorosis or store excessive fluorine in their bones. Bone development appeared normal in all groups as revealed by breaking-strength tests, roentgenograms, and histological studies. These studies are still in progress. Their body growth was not impaired.

3. The teeth of 20 dogs fed 5 mgm. of fluorine per kilogram of body weight daily as bone meal powder and 11 dogs fed defluorinated phosphate were superior to the teeth of dogs fed the same level of fluorine as sodium fluoride or the control ration supplemented with about the same level of calcium and phosphorus as found in the bone meal powder or defluorinated phosphate.