No abstract

Dental plaque extract in low doses inhibited the synthesis of collagen in cultured fetal rat calvaria. Using higher doses of the extract or longer treatment periods the synthesis of noncollagen proteins was also decreased. The denatured extract was as effective as the native one. Although the production of type I collagen in the treated bones was markedly decreased the hydroxylation stage of collagen was not altered. The results suggest that dental plaque extract inhibits the synthesis of collagen by bone cells, which may be one reason for the net loss of collagen of alveolar bone in periodontitis.

No abstract