Biochemical aspects of calculus formation. I. Comparative studies of plaque in heavy and light calculus formers.

Abstract

As a means of elucidating the mechanisms involved In the formation of salivary calculus and to delineate the factors responsible for individual variation, comparative studies were conducted on developing deposits in heavy calculus formers and light formers.Three‐day deposits from a) lingual surfaces of lower anterior teeth and b) facial surfaces of maxillary teeth were analysed for calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, protein, hexose, methylpentose, hexosamine and fructose. The lingual deposits from heavy formers contained much higher levels of calcium (9 vs. 5.5 %) and phosphorus (5 vs. 1.4 %) and lower levels of potassium, methylpentose and hexosamine than light formers. In the maxillary deposits calcium and phosphorus levels were much lower than in the lower lingual. The differences between heavy and light formers were in. the same direction as in lingual deposits but not nearly as pronounced. When the plaques were extracted with water and the soluble (about 30 %) and insoluble fractions (about 70 %) were analysed separately, the insoluble fraction reflected the differences in calcium, phosphorus, potassium and carbohydrate noted for the total plaque. In the soluble fraction heavy formers exhibited more calcium, magnesium and sodium (not phosphorus) and less potassium and carbohydrate. Mineralization of plaque appears no be associated with loss of carbohydrate.