OBSERVATIONS ON EXPERIMENTAL DENTAL CARIES

III. THE EFFECT OF DIETARY LACTIC ACID

¹ Department of Biology, Polytechnic Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark

The effect of dietary lactic acid on dental caries was studied in three groups of newly weaned hamsters, which were reared for 100 days on the experimental diets. Group 1 (control) was fed the cariogenic ration, and distilled water. Group 2 received the cariogenic diet to which had been added 0.057 c.c. of lactic acid (80 per cent) per 100 gm. of food, and distilled water. Group 3 was fed the cariogenic diet, and distilled water to which had been added 0.050 c.c. of lactic acid (80 per cent) per 100 c.c. of water.

No significant differences were found in the incidence or extent of carious lesions among the three groups. The animals from all the groups exhibited essentially the same health appearance and the same growth rate.