Ascorbic Acid Staining of Scorbutic Guinea Pig Incisors

¹ Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York

1. Reducing compounds, probably ascorbic acid, can be located in the normal and scorbutic guinea pig incisor, using the silver nitrate technic.

2. A preferred technic for studying the localization of ascorbic acid in tooth structure is that of Eranko. The adrenal cortex is used as a point of reference for the reliability of the stain.

3. A steady intake of ascorbic acid is necessary for normal dentinogenesis. This is reflected primarily by the absence of ascorbic acid staining in the cell bodies of the odontoblasts and in the regions of faulty dentinogenesis in the scorbutic state.

4. A steady intake of ascorbic acid seems necessary to a lesser degree for the maintenance of the dental attachment apparatus, which is reflected in a decrease in staining of the cementoblasts and odontoblasts in vitamin C deficiency.