The Incidence of Caries in Sialoadenectomized Rats Drinking Water Containing Human, Saliva

¹ Department of Microbiology and the Murry and Leonie Guggenheim Foundation, Institute for Dental Research, New York University College of Dentistry, New York

Sialoadenectomized Sprague-Dawley albino rats maintained on a cariogenic diet showed a statistically significant increase in the incidence of dental caries as compared to intact and sham-operated controls.

The addition of pooled saliva from caries-susceptible individuals to the drinking water fed desalivated rats resulted in a significant increase in tooth destruction. Pooled saliva from caries-immune individuals resulted in a decrease in the average extent of carious lesions that was not statistically significant. Real differences in caries incidence were noted between the sialoadenectomized animals receiving caries-immune saliva and those receiving caries-susceptible saliva. It was concluded that saliva contains a factor or factors which modify the extension of dental caries in the sialoadenectomized albino rat.

A high degree of bilateral symmetry and sexual similarity in the distribution of various lesions was found. Data on the distribution of occlusal caries in the molar teeth are presented.