Abstract
BackgroundThe role of saliva composition and dietary sugar in development of infundibular caries in equine cheek teeth is not fully understood. This study analysed electrolyte and urea concentrations in saliva in relation to different forage and measured pH changes after sucrose application in vivo in sound and carious cheek teeth.ResultsForage type had no effect on the equine saliva electrolyte concentrations, which varied considerably both intra- and inter-individually. Chewing resulted in increased values for all electrolytes except bicarbonate. Compared with stimulated human saliva, horse saliva after mastication, contained higher amounts of potassium, calcium and bicarbonate, and less phosphate. The in vivo pH measurements showed a lower resting pH and a more pronounced pH drop after sucrose application in carious teeth compared to sound teeth.ConclusionsNo large differences were found between the composition of equine saliva and human saliva. A more pronounced acidogenicity was found for the carious than sound teeth. Thus, the caries process in equine cheek teeth seems to follow the same pattern as in human teeth, caused by acid production by oral microorganisms after sugar consumption.
Highlights
The role of saliva composition and dietary sugar in development of infundibular caries in equine cheek teeth is not fully understood
Knowledge about the causes of equine dental caries is limited, but it is believed that the disease process is identical to that seen in humans, i.e. it is caused by factors such as increased sugar consumption and a shift in the bacterial flora to more aciduric and acidogenic
Na and HCO3 increase with increasing secretion rate, whereas K, Ca and P are not affected [10]. This differs from the findings of equine saliva where all electrolytes except bicarbonate were increased after 50 min of chewing forage
Summary
The role of saliva composition and dietary sugar in development of infundibular caries in equine cheek teeth is not fully understood. The majority of todays horses and ponies are found in peri-urban areas rather than the countryside, which has led to a change in feeding regime. Horses and ponies are today used mainly for pleasure and competition and not in daily work as in the Knowledge about the causes of equine dental caries is limited, but it is believed that the disease process is identical to that seen in humans, i.e. it is caused by factors such as increased sugar consumption and a shift in the bacterial flora to more aciduric and acidogenic. A significant difference in the number of acidogenic Streptococcus devriesei present on the cheek teeth surfaces in horses with and without infundibular P2 caries has been reported [4]. It is further well known that saliva flow and composition are of major importance for caries protection [5, 6]
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