THE EFFECT OF SOME CHEMICALS ON THE RATE OF ACID FORMATION IN SALIVA

¹ Chemistry Department, Northwestern University Dental School, Chicago, Ill.

Thirty-one compounds have been tested for enzyme inhibiting action. These compounds consisted of peroxides, quinones, guanidines, aldehydes and others. All classes of compounds, with the exception of the guanidines, exhibited inhibitory properties. The aldehydes, particularly glycerol aldehyde, show much promise of being useful in the control of dental caries, as they are relatively nontoxic, are not objectionable to taste, and could be readily incorporated into sugar and sugar preparations.