A Comparison of the Harvard 700 Diet (Modified) with the HWC Diet (Modified) for Inducing Occlusal Caries in Resistant and Susceptible Rats

¹ Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

The difference between caries-resistant and OMS rats developed by Hunt and Hoppert was evident when either a coarse-particle or a high-sucrose diet was used. Both OMS and resistant rats developed caries faster on the coarse-particle diet than on the high-sucrose diet.

Lactobacilli were recovered in higher numbers from OMS than from caries-resistant rats only when the coarse-particle diet was used. Streptococci were recovered in higher numbers from OMS rats when either the coarse-particle or the high-sucrose diet was used.