The Effect of Sodium Fluoride on the Teeth and Blood Calcium and Inorganic Phosphorus Levels of Rachitic Rats'

Abstract

Three diets with Ca:P ratios of 1.5, 5.5, and 0.26 were fed for 28 days to 6, 10, and 12 litters, respectively, of 50 g. albino rats. They were injected subcut. once with NaF or saline soln., and littermates sacrificed at 3 hr. intervals. Blood Ca and P levels were unaffected by the NaF injn. in rats on the 1.5 Ca:P ratio diet, whereas on the 5.5 Ca:P ratio the blood Ca level (normal) fell and the blood P (subnormal) rose. In rats on the 0.26 Ca:P ratio diet, blood Ca (subnormal) decreased further and the P (above normal) varied. Histologic sections of teeth revealed that changes produced by fluoride were retarded in the 5.5 Ca:P ratio diet, accelerated on the 0.26 Ca:P ratio diet.