Journal of Dental Research, Vol 70, 1266-1271, Copyright © 1991 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Serum fluoride level and fluoride content of enameloid
K. S. Prostak, P. Seifert and Z. Skobe
Forsyth Dental Center, Department of Electron Microscopy, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
We investigated diverse groups of fish species to determine whether the
fluorine (F) contents of the dental hard tissues were related to baseline
serum F levels. Serum samples, enameloid, dentin, ganoid/enamel, and bone
were analyzed for F by either electron microprobe or wet chemistry. Species
were categorized into two groups based on the F content of the enameloid.
One group contained greater than 2.6 wt% F in enameloid, whereas the other
group had less than 0.45 wt% F in enameloid. The dentin and bone from all
species (or, in skates, the cartilage), as well as the ganoid/enamel layer
of a Holostean fish (alligator gar), showed consistently low F content. In
those species whose teeth developed in sequential rows, the F content of
enameloid increased with progressive tooth development. The serum F levels
of all fish were below 0.05 microgram F/mL (2.63 mumol/L) and were not
significantly related to the F content of the enameloid. The results
substantiate the idea that F incorporation into enameloid is related to
fish phylogeny, not food or habitat. It is suggested that specialized outer
dental epithelial cell configurations may facilitate the incorporation of F
into enameloid.
