Prolonged Effect on Caries of Short-Term Feeding of Rice Hulls to Cotton Rats

Abstract

In a recent review of caries-inhibiting agents, Shawl has described and evaluated the procedures developed for experimental caries research. In general, it is useful to evaluate the anticariogenicity of a substance by incorporating it into a cariogenic diet that is fed to weanling caries-susceptible rodents. After a sufficient time for caries development in the control group, the caries inhibition by the test substance is measured.A compilation by Hein2 of a large number of assays for anticariogenic agents has indicated that, in most cases, the test substance was fed for the entire experimental period of about 100 days or more. In other studies animals were fed the test substance for a prolonged period, although for less than the experimental period. McClure3 has found a prolonged reduction in caries when he fed 100 ppm of fluoride to 40-, 100-, and 200-day-old rats for 85, 60, and 40 days, respectively, and followed this procedure by a cariogenic diet for 100 days. Keyes4 has recently described a new method for assaying caries-inhibiting agents. In his procedure, caries was developed in weanling hamsters until they were 39 days of age. They were then fed penicillin in the diet for 54 days. Penicillin was then removed, and the cariogenic diet was fed for an additional 50 days. Since the third molars had erupted between 35 and 40 days of age, all three molars received a prolonged treatment with the test substance.

Influence of Combinations of Oat Hulls and Sodium Trimetaphosphate Upon Dental Caries in the Rat

“…Subsequently, this anti-caries activity was associated with the hull fractions.2 Since that time, numerous investigators have reported cariostatic capabilities of outer seed coverings of various cereal grains at levels in the diet as low as 5%. [3][4][5][6][7] Although the majority of studies have involved the use of oat hulls, the hulls of rice, peanuts, barley, and cottonseed have also exhibited anti-caries activity. In most instances, oat hulls have been shown effective against occlusal caries.…”