Journal of Dental Research, Vol 55, 1061-1066, Copyright © 1976 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Effects of dietary fats on the fatty acid composition of enamel and dentinal lipids of rabbit molars
S. K. Das, P. K. Adhikary and D. K. Bhattacharyya
The effect of dietary fats such as butter, lard, cottonseed oil, and
hydrogenated cottonseed oil on the fatty acid composition of enamel and
dentin lipids of rabbit molars was studied. The enamel and dentin of molars
of all of the rabbits contained a variety of fatty acids, palmitic,
stearic, oliec, linoleic, and eicosapentaenoic being the major ones. Enamal
lipids were more unsaturated than dentinal lipids in all of the groups. A
significant difference was noticed in the fatty acid composition of both
the enamel and dentin between these four groups of rabbits. Linoleic acid
content was highest in both the enamel and dentin lipids of rabbits fed
cottonseed oil. There was no marked difference in the saturated-unsaturated
fatty acid ratio in both the enamel and dentin among rabbits fed cottonseed
oil, lard, and butter. It is concluded that tooth lipids are responsive to
diets and are in direct equilibrium with dietary components.
