Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 689-694, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Root surface caries and periodontal disease in long-term alloxan diabetic rats
C. O. Reuterving, E. Hagg and G. T. Gustafson
Caries, periodontal disease, and occlusal wear were studied in rats with
short-term (one month) and long-term (12 months) untreated alloxan diabetes
and in age-matched control rats. Standard laboratory diet and water were
given ad libitum. Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli were naturally
occurring inhabitants of the oral bacterial flora. In short-term diabetic
rats, there was less dental plaque in the gingival region of the first
mandibular molar than in control rats, but the density of leukocytes in the
junctional epithelium was increased. Interdentally, the gingival papillae
were intact, and the prevalence of foreign material was as low as for the
controls. No caries lesions were seen. The proportion of the oral flora
which was lactobacilli was positively correlated with the blood glucose
level. In long-term diabetic rats, there was more periodontal breakdown
than in the age-matched control rats. The periodontal breakdown was always
associated with large interdental impactions of foreign material. Caries
was seen only in the diabetic rats and in sites with interdental
impactions. The decay was shown to start in the cementum at the
cemento-enamel junction. The amount of alveolar bone loss, but not the
amount of dental caries, was related to the degree of hyperglycemia.
Occlusal wear of the molars in long-term diabetic rats was significantly
increased as compared with that in the controls.
