title: Dietary boron does not affect tooth strength, micro-hardness, and  density, but affects tooth mineral composition and alveolar bone mineral density in rabbits fed a high-energy diet.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether dietary boron (B) affects the strength, density and mineral composition of teeth and mineral density of alveolar bone in rabbits with apparent obesity induced by a high-energy diet. Sixty female, 8-month-old, New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned for 7 months into five groups as follows: (1) control 1, fed alfalfa hay only (5.91 MJ/kg and 57.5 mg B/kg); (2) control 2, high energy diet (11.76 MJ and 3.88 mg B/kg); (3) B10, high energy diet + 10 mg B gavage/kg body weight/96 h; (4) B30, high energy diet + 30 mg B gavage/kg body weight/96 h; (5) B50, high energy diet + 50 mg B gavage/kg body weight/96 h. Maxillary incisor teeth of the rabbits were evaluated for compression strength, mineral composition, and micro-hardness. Enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp tissue were examined histologically. Mineral densities of the incisor teeth and surrounding alveolar bone were determined by using micro-CT. When compared to controls, the different boron treatments did not significantly affect compression strength, and micro-hardness of the teeth, although the B content of teeth increased in a dose-dependent manner. Compared to control 1, B50 teeth had decreased phosphorus (P) concentrations. Histological examination revealed that teeth structure (shape and thickness of the enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp) was similar in the B-treated and control rabbits. Micro CT evaluation revealed greater alveolar bone mineral density in B10 and B30 groups than in controls. Alveolar bone density of the B50 group was not different than the controls. Although the B treatments did not affect teeth structure, strength, mineral density and micro-hardness, increasing B intake altered the mineral composition of teeth, and, in moderate amounts, had beneficial effects on surrounding alveolar bone.
authors.forename: Sema S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hakki
authors.lastname: SiddikMalkoc
authors.forename: Niyazi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dundar
authors.forename: Seyit Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kayis
authors.forename: Erdogan E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Hakki
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamurcu
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baspinar
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basoglu
authors.forename: Forrest H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Götz
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D001895:Boron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006244:Hardness; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D001895:Boron