INFLUENCE OF FLUORIDES ON THE RATE OF DISSOLUTION OF THE PRINCIPAL INORGANIC ELEMENTS OF DENTIN

¹ Department of Dental Research, Army Medical Service Graduate School, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D. C.

The rate of dissolution by Morse solution of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and carbon dioxide of human dentin treated with distilled water, calcium fluoride, or sodium fluoride was determined at the end of 8 consecutive hourly intervals. The amount of the above elements recovered accounted for from 55 to 57 per cent of the total weight lost during decalcification and under the conditions of these experiments seems to be a fair indicator of solubility. The ratio between calcium and phosphorus remained relatively constant during decalcification of the different types of dentin, except that treatment of dentin with calcium fluoride resulted in an early increased release of calcium during decalcification. Some variations were found in the phosphorus:magnesium ratio and in the magnesium:carbon dioxide ratio of the decalcifying solutions of the different types of dentin.