title: Bicarbonate-based dental powder, fluoride, and saccharin inhibition of dental caries associated with Streptococcus mutans infection of rats.
abstract: The effects of NaHCO3-based dental powder containing NaF and sodium saccharin on dental caries and Streptococcus mutans recoveries in rats were studied. Weanling specific-pathogen-free Osborne-Mendel (SPFOM) rats were inoculated with S. mutans NCTC-10449S. Four infected groups were topically treated with either demineralized water (DW), a dental powder suspended such that there was 1 part solid per 2 parts DW, 0.073% NaF, or a combination of 0.073% NaF and 0.5% Na-saccharin (Nas). NaF-supplemented DW (at 10 ppm F-) was provided to a 5th group of infected rats as a positive treatment control, but this group was otherwise untreated. A sixth but uninfected group was topically treated with DW. All topical treatments were given once for 1 min daily per rat, for 5 days per week. Animals' teeth were swabbed for recovery of 10449S and total recoverable flora. Recoveries of 10449S were lower from powder-treated rats than from DW-treated rats. This difference approached but did not reach statistical significance. Total caries scores were 51% lower for the dental powder, 36% lower for the topical NaF, 34% lower for the combined NaF-Nas, and 54% lower for the NaF-supplemented drinking water group, all p less than 0.001. While all of the treatments inhibited smooth-surface caries, the dental powder effects, like those for the combined NaF-Nas, and NaF drinking water, were evident in fissure tooth surfaces as well.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06032.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tanzer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003802:Dentifrices / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004037:Diet, Cariogenic; D005459:Fluorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D012439:Saccharin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D003802:Dentifrices; D012439:Saccharin; D005459:Fluorides