Production and Inhibition of Dental Caries in Syrian Hamsters

A Method of Recording and Scoring Gross Carious Lesions in the Molar Teeth of Syrian Hamsters'

“…Caries activity in this animal does not depend upon coarse cereals in the diet and is well distributed in maxillary and mandibular molar teeth (1,2). Since fracture apparently is not a factor in production, all macroscopic (X 14) lesions may be assumed to represent the type of dental caries found in man.…”

“…As the Syrian hamster appears to be well suited for investigations of experimental dental caries (1,2), a method to record and numerically evaluate the gross caries experience in the molar teeth of this animal has been devised. The method provides a graphic record of the lesions, indicates the number of cavities and teeth affected, and offers a numerical score proportional to the amount of tooth structure destroyed.…”

The Oral Bacterial Flora as Related to Dental Caries in the Syrian Hamster'

“…It has been demonstrated by Arnold (1), by Dale, Lazansky and Keyes (2), and by more recent observations (3) in this laboratory that the Syrian hamster, Cricetus auratus, when maintained on various kinds of soft diets will develop lesions in the molar teeth which closely resemble dental caries in man. It seems apparent, as has been demonstrated many times with other species, that bacteria must have an important role in relation to the effects of caries-producing foods on the teeth of the hamster.…”

Animal Studies Relating to Caries Inhibition by Fluoride

“…Arnold [1942] was the first to describe the development of caries in the hamster; these findings were later confirmed by Dale et al [1944] using hamsters obtained from Arnold. They described the lesions in detail and considered the hamster a more satis factory animal for caries studies than the rat.…”