Effect of NaF on the Growth of Rats with Varying Vitamin and Calcium Intakes

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Abstract
Weanling rats fed an otherwise adequate diet for 28 days were given a vitamin supplement supplying levels of thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine and vitamin A that limited growth to two-thirds or one-half of the maximal rate. Weight gains and food efficiency values measured at 28 days were not affected by the inclusion of 0.5 or 1.0 mg of fluoride as NaF in the daily vitamin supplement. When the calcium levels of the diets were reduced to one-third or two-thirds that of the usual diet, the fluoride supplements also had no effect on growth of the rats. Fecal and total carcass fluoride revealed no significant effect of the level of dietary calcium on fluoride absorption and retention. The weight, ash and calcium content of the femur increased with the level of calcium in the diet. The total fluoride per femur was the same at all calcium levels, but the fluoride concentration in the femur was decreased as the level of calcium in the diet was increased. Incisor weights, and calcium content per incisor were not affected by the dietary calcium levels; both concentration and amount of fluoride per incisor were decreased with increasing dietary calcium.