Abstract
The tooth surface is exposed to secretory antibodies present in saliva, and to serum antibodies via crevicular fluid. Protection against caries in animals has been achieved by local immunization of rats (1,2) and by systemic immunization of sub-human primates (3–5). In germfree rats protection against caries has been achieved by the induction of salivary antibodies alone (6) whereas in rhesus monkeys protection seems to be associated with serum antibodies (4,5,7).