CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF HUMAN TEETH

¹ University of Michigan, School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Greek and domestic teeth were analyzed and the results are reported. In this analysis dentin was separated from enamel by the Manly and Hodge method.¹⁹ Phosphorus was determined by precipitating it as ammonium molybdiphosphate which is usually called the yellow precipitation method. Calcium and magnesium were determined by titrating with Versene^{20, 21} at a pH of about 10 from phosphorus free solution. In this solution phosphorus was removed by means of ion exchange column.^22-24 The carbonate ion is reported as CO₂. By adding hydrochloric acid, CO₂ was released and absorbed by sodium hydroxide. A special apparatus was used for this determination. For the qualitative determination of other elements present in teeth at very low concentrations, spectroscopic analysis was used.