STUDIES OF THE COMPOSITION OF TEETH

I. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS FOR THE PRINCIPAL INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS OF THE ENAMEL AND DENTIN FROM SYRIAN HAMSTERS

¹ Department of Dental Research, Dental Division, Army Medical Service Graduate School, Washington, D. C.

The combustible and principal inorganic components of separated enamel and dentin from incisor and molar teeth of adult male and female Syrian hamsters have been determined. The components of hamster enamel which were lost by combustion at 900° C. varied consistently with the source of the tissue, with more in such tissue from females than in that from males, and more in incisor enamel than in molar enamel. The combustible portion of hamster dentin did not vary greatly, whatever the source. The total inorganic residue of hamster dentin and enamel which remained after combustion was generally less than the reported inorganic content of similar human tissues determined by other means. The calcium content of the inorganic residue of hamster enamel varied consistently with the source, while the phosphorus did not. The magnesium content of enamel varied considerably but not consistently with the source of the tissue. The calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium content of hamster dentin did not vary greatly, whatever the source. The Ca:P ratio of hamster enamel ranged from 1.45 to 1.87, with a higher ratio for this tissue from males than from females. The Ca:P ratio of hamster dentin ranged from 1.37 to 1.49, with no consistent difference in the tissue from males or females.