title: Effects of caffeine intake during gestation and lactation on the acid solubility of enamel in weanling rats.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary caffeine during gestation and lactation on the acid solubility of molar teeth of weanling rats. Nineteen pregnant dams were divided into two groups. The 9 dams in the control group were fed a 20% protein diet supplemented with caffeine (2 mg/100 g BW) throughout the experiment. At birth, 8 pups were randomly assigned to each dam. Pups were killed on day 22. The 1st and 2nd molars were removed from each pup's maxilla and mandible. Four randomly selected molars from each litter were placed in a chamber and bathed with a flow of acid solution and the amount of mineral dissolved from the enamel was determined. The results showed that the amount of dissolved Ca and Mg from enamel surfaces of 1st molars from rats in the caffeine group after exposure to acid was consistently greater than that of the non caffeine group. In the 2nd molars there was no significant difference between caffeine and noncaffeine groups. Scanning electron microscopy revealed an alteration of the enamel surface of the 1st molars of the caffeine group after acid exposure. These results indicate that caffeine intake during gestation and lactation would have a deleterious effect on dental enamel of 1st molars in newborn rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70119, USA.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alonzo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.forename: A U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Falster
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Simmons
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003747:Dental Enamel Solubility / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008963:Molar; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium