The Cariostatic Effect in White Rats of Phosphorus and Calcium Supplements Added to the Flour of Bread Formulas and to Bread Diets

Abstract

A relatively simple diet composed of dry bread, glucose and essential vitamins, resulted in extensive dental caries in white rats. In two trials, bread prepared with a flour which contained 1.0% of Na₂HPO₄ resulted in a reduced caries incidence averaging 51.0%; the severity score was reduced an average of 83.0%. Use of bread flour containing 1.0% (NH₄)₂HPO₄ was responsible for a 72.0% reduction in caries incidence and 93.0% reduction in severity score. These phosphates also significantly inhibited caries when added directly to bread diets. Ca(H₂PO₄)₂·H₂O at a level of 1.75% in the bread flour, and 1.5% Ca₃(PO₄)₂ in the bread-glucose diet significantly inhibited dental caries. In two trials 1.41% of sodium phytate added to the bread-glucose diet reduced caries incidence an average 77.0% and caries severity score an average 91.0%. Calcium lactate added to bread flour was anticariogenic, but calcium gluconate had no anticaries effect. Three phosphate compounds, namely, Na₂HPO₄, Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and sodium phytate, were equally effective as phosphorus supplements as measured by improved rate of growth and increased content of blood-serum phosphorus. These results add substantially to previous evidence of a significant cariostatic effect of a phosphated bread and a phosphate supplement added to a bread-glucose cariogenic diet.