The Production of Periodontal Disease in the Hamster as Related to Diet, Coprophagy, and Maintenance Factors

Abstract

Hamsters maintained on coarse laboratory chow diets developed mild interproximal periodontal lesions in 98 days. Fine, soft, high-carbohydrate diets for the same period resulted in moderate to severe generalized periodontal disease associated with soft subgingival accumulations. Restricted coprophagy and presence or absence of wood shavings did not influence the incidence of hamster periodontal disease. Cornification of palatal and esophageal epithelium was not influenced by diets employed. The developing carious lesion and periodontal lesion may be intimately associated when a high carbohydrate diet is fed. Maintenance conditions useful for the production of measurable amts. of periodontal disease in large numbers of hamsters are descr. and a scoring method is presented.