Effect of Estrogen, Thyroxin, and their Combination on Dental Caries and Salivary Glands in Ovariectomized and Intact Female Rats

Abstract

Groups of rats wereovariectomized at weanling age and fed with cariogenic diet ad libitum. Estradiol benzoate or diethylstilbestrol alone or in combination with thyroxine were injected subcutaneously twice weekly for a period of 17 weeks. Higher dose levels of estrogen resulted in a significant increase in dental caries. Thyroxine administered concurrently with estrogen did not prevent the estrogen-induced increase in dental caries. It was suggested that the cariogenic effect of estrogen in ovariectomized rat was not due to the altered function of the thyroid or salivary glands. The disturbance of the metabolism of trace elements might have been involved.