Effect of Molybdenum Salts and Chlorides on Fluoride Uptake by Intact Human Enamel Surfaces in Vitro

¹ School of Dentistry, University of California, Center for the Healtlh Sciences, Los Angeles, California

The ability of molybdenum and chloride salts to alter the uptake of fluoride by intact human teeth in vitro was studied by means of microdeterminations of fluoride within surface and subsurface layers of enamel approximating 40 µ in thickness. When subjected to statistical treatments, the findings supported the following conclusions: (1) the enamel uptake of fluoride from solutions of sodium fluoride is not affected by the addition of molybdenum salts; (2) the presence of chloride salts interferes with the uptake of fluoride by the surface enamel layer; (3) sodium chloride facilitates the uptake of fluoride by the first subsurface layer of enamel.