EXPERIMENTAL EFFECTS OF THIOURACIL AND SELENIUM ON THE TEETH AND JAWS OF DOGS

¹ Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, Md.

This is a report of certain changes observed in the dentition and jaws of a litter of dogs treated with goitrogenic compounds: thiouracil and selenium. The important lesions described are:

1. Hypoplasia of the enamel in a thiouracil-treated dog.

2. Structural defects of the dentin in a dog treated with a large dosage of selenium.

3. Structural changes in the supporting bone of the mandible in both a thiouracil-treated dog and a dog receiving a large dose of selenium.

4. Marked variation in the size and shape of the mandibular condyles of all treated dogs, with histological indications of an untimely continuation of bone formation in the condyles of the selenium-treated dogs.

There are tabulations of the schedule of treatment given prior to the initiation of this study, and of the measurements taken of the teeth and jaws at the termination of the experiment. Photographic and photomicrographic illustrations are shown of gross lesions and of characteristic histologic sections of the teeth, jaws, and condyles. A roentgenographic study of the four specimens is included.

A brief review of the pharmacology, therapeutics, and toxicology of thiouracil and selenium is given. Also a brief review is presented of current literature dealing with the endocrine and metabolic changes occurring in experimental or therapeutic administration of these compounds.

Finally, correlations are made between the findings in this experiment and the various data reported from the literature. It is shown that the gross lesions noted in these dogs are not unlike those found experimentally in thyroidectomy or in the human cretin. Histologically the sections of the dogs' teeth show lesions that are similar to those found in various nutritional disorders, or in diseases in which the underlying mechanism causing structural change have a metabolic or nutritional basis. Sections of the mandibular bone and of the condyles of these dogs have structural modifications which correspond with changes found in thyroidectomy, and hypophysectomy, or in the gonadal atrophy which may result from either of the former endocrine dysfunctions.

Comments are made pertaining to limitations in the significance of the results of this experiment and their interpretations. It is emphasized that this study is based on experimental findings in a single litter of four mongrel dogs. The results, therefore, must have their greatest value in stimulating and orientating future investigations along similar lines.

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