Carious Lesions in Cotton Rat Molars

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Abstract
Carious lesions in cotton rats maintained on purified rations were most common deep in the sulci and on the proximal surfaces of the molar teeth. Occasional lesions were found on exposed dentin of the occlusal surfaces, but almost none on surfaces which face the cheek or tongue. Histologic examination of ground sections of cotton rat jaws indicated that the carious lesions in the sulci and on the proximal surfaces began on intact enamel surfaces well below the occlusal plane. There was no evidence of fracture previous to the initiation of carious lesions except in those cotton rats fed a ration in which sucrose had been replaced by coarse dextrin. The isocaloric replacement with lard of 9 gm of each 67 gm of sucrose in the basal ration did not alter the number nor the extent of carious lesions in the cotton rats. The isocaloric replacement by lard of 18 gm or 27 gm of each 67 gm of sucrose in the basal ration resulted in increasingly significant reductions in the dental caries attack rate. The complete replacement of the sucrose in rations with varying fat content by finely powdered sugar altered the particle size of the rations greatly but did not result in any alteration in the average number nor in the average extent of carious lesions. The addition of large amounts of crude indigestible fiber in the form of cellu flour to rations with varying fat content greatly altered the consistency of the rations but did not alter the average number nor the average extent of the carious lesions. Replacement of sucrose in the control ration by fine or coarse dextrin resulted in highly significant reductions in the dental caries experience. These reductions could not be attributed entirely to the simple replacement of a soluble carbohydrate by a less soluble or insoluble one.

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