Histological and ultrastructural characteristics of the periodontal syndrome in the rice rat. IV. The effects of dietary antibiotics on the histological and ultrastructural characteristics of periodontal syndrome susceptible rats.

Abstract

In this paper on the periodontal syndrome in the rice rat, the effects of dietary penicillin and tetracycline on the progressive inflammatory and degenerative changes (as seen in rice rats fed diet 700 alone) were noted at the light and electron microscopic level. Throughout the observation period (0–14 weeks postweaning), animals fed diet 700 with penicillin or diet 700 with tetracycline showed no evidence of bacterial colonization, a minimal PMN infiltrate restricted to the gingival epithelium and subjacent lamina propria, and no marked degenerative changes within cells that normally inhabited the periodontium (viz. epithelial cells, fibroblasts, osteoblasts). Marked osteoblastic or osteoclastic activity was rarely noted along the alveolar crest in this group of animals.These results give added support to the concept of a single microbial agent or group of microbial agents, as the primary etiology of this disease.