THE ACTION OF FLUORINE UPON THE CALCIFICATION OF THE DENTIN IN RATS WITH LOW CALCIUM RICKETS

¹ Department of Physiology, Medical School, University of Cape Town, Union of South Africa

1. This paper reports the effect of one injection of NaF solution upon dentin calcification in low Ca-high P rickets.

2. Animals were studied (1) in which spontaneous calcification had occurred, and (2) in which calcification had been accelerated by a simultaneous or subsequent dose of vitamin D.

3. As already reported, fluorine causes the formation of a fine calcified line, almost immediately stainable by histological methods, in the predentin forming at the time of the injection. This is the same as the experimental dentin line in normal teeth.

4. In both groups of animals mentioned in (2) above, when the predentin affected by the injected F calcified, calcification on the enamel side of the experimental dentin line occurred up to and blended with this line. On the pulpal side of the line, a fine irregular zone of matrix did not calcify at all. Subsequently formed matrix calcified in the usual way.

5. This reaction is quite different from that which occurs after F administration in normal animals or those with high Ca rickets.