Influence of supplementation on the dental caries incidence and growth of rats fed two model diets.
In order to improve the quality of caries-promoting diets MIT 200 and NIH 2000, both diets were supplemented with fat. In addition, the NIH 2000 diet was supplemented with minerals and vitamins. Supplementation with essential nutrients improves the quality of the diets and enhances growth when compared to control animals. Adding minerals and vitamins to diet NIH 2000 abolishes loss of pigmentation of incisors, improves hemoglobin and hematocrit and reduces caries scores in the buccal surfaces by 50% when compared to the non-supplemented diet. It is possible that the cariogenic properties of diet NIH 2000 may be a function in part of a nutrient deficiency.
D000818:Animals; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004037:Diet, Cariogenic; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006128:Growth; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D006454:Hemoglobins