Evaluation of Anticaries Agents by the Use of the Artificial Mouth

¹ University of Alabama Medical Center, Department of Biochemistry, Birmingham, Alabama

An improved method was presented for the operation of the artificial mouth for the purpose of evaluating anticaries agents. Sodium and stannous fluoride solutions were used to treat the ground surfaces of human teeth. The teeth were then exposed to oral micro-organisms in the artificial mouth, and the rate of softening was followed by microhardness tests. Other possible anticaries agents were also studied. Treatment of enamel with dilute hydrofluoric acid decreased the rate of softening of teeth but caused an initial softening not shown by stannous fluoride solution of even lower pH. The procedure was also used to compare the efficiency of 6 commercial dentifrices. Those containing fluorides had the greatest effect in reducing the rate of softening of tooth enamel.