Significant Effect of Environmental Lighting on Caries Incidence in the Cotton Rat

Abstract

Dental caries is a multifactorial disorder, the initiation and progression of which are affected by factors related to host susceptibility, oral microflora, and diet. Interlocking triple rings are frequently employed to demonstrate that microorganisms, fermentable carbohydrates, and a susceptible tooth surface are all requisite in the caries process. It is well established that lesions do not develop in gnotobiotic animals and that dietary modification such as carbohydrate restriction significantly restricts caries activity. There is a paucity of knowledge on the effect of specific environmental factors on caries incidence.In an earlier study (1 ) it was found that lighting significantly affected caries incidence in the golden hamster. These animals were fed a diet containing 61% sucrose over a 15-week period. Under these conditions carious breakdown was very extensive and in many cases the crowns were virtually destroyed. The authors pointed out that this overwhelming involvement may have caused a loss of masticatory ability resulting in reduced chewing, ingestion, and absorption of food.There was thus a need for the testing of the effects of light on caries incidence in a more sensitive model with a much less advanced state of destruction induced. Such a model has been developed for caries evaluation in which the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is weaned at 12 days of age and placed on a cariogenic diet (2). With a dietary sucrose level of approximately 6%,

Ecological Factors in Learning Disabilities

“…This study was later confirmed in the second year of the Sarasota school study (Mayron et al 1975). A follow-up study on cotton rats by Feller, Edmonds, Shannon, and Madsen (1974) showed similar results with either Vita-lite or incandescent lights. Thus either the red of incandescent lamps or of Vita-lite and/or the ultraviolet of Vita-lite is essential to increase body resistance to caries, or the midrange maximum of cool-white lamps has a deleterious effect on resistance to caries.…”

Full-spectrum fluorescent lighting: a review of its effects on physiology and health

“…Studies on rodents do not generally support this hypothesis (Sharon et al, 1971;Feller et al, 1974), and research on humans provides mixed results. Mayron et al (1975aMayron et al ( , 1975b found fewer dental caries over one school year in first-and second-graders whose windowless classrooms had radiation-shielded FSFL, compared to unshielded CWFLs.…”

The COST Manual of Laboratory Animal Care and Use

“…Currently, it is not known whether a distorted light spectrum affects the health, behaviour, or welfare of laboratory rodents. The literature carries conflicting reports of consequences for dental health (Sharon, Feller, and Burney 1971;Feller et al 1974), growth and development (Wurtmann and Weisel 1969;Ozaki and Wurtman 1979;Saltarelli and Coppola 1979).…”