Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of milk and fluoridated milk on bacterially induced caries-like lesions. Extracted impacted human molars were cut in half and covered with a varnish leaving a 4*4 mm window. The samples were coated with biofilm of S. sobrinus and were further divided into three experimental groups of S. sobrinus, S. sobrinus and milk and S. sobrinus and fluoridated milk. As negative controls served teeth incubated in saline. Of twenty tooth halves serial ground sections were cut through the lesions and investigated with polarization light microscopy (PLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX element analysis. The PLM photographs were used for 3D reconstruction, volumetric assessment and determination of the extension of the lesion zones. Of eight tooth halves the biofilm on the enamel surface was studied with SEM and EDX element analysis. Volumetric assessment showed a statistically significant difference in the volume of the body of the lesion and the translucent zone between the milk group and fluoridated milk group. Quantitative element analysis demonstrated significant differences between sound enamel and the superficial layer in the fluoridated milk group. The biofilm on the enamel surface showed an increased Ca content in the milk group and fluoridated milk group. Milk as a common nutrient seems to play a complex role in in-vitro biofilm--enamel interactions stimulating bacterial demineralization on one hand, and, as effective fluoride carrier, inhibits caries-like demineralization.
Highlights
The effect of fluoridated milk on inhibition and remineralizing treatment of initial caries lesions has been studied in clinical[1,2,3,4] and experimental in vitro investigations[5,6,7,8]
In this study a bacterial demineralization model was used which mimics more closely the oral conditions to study the effect of fluoridated milk on enamel demineralization and remineralization
Oral bacteria are the main constituents of the dental biofilm plaque which covers the tooth surface[10,11] and, enamel demineralization is caused by the production of organic acids from bacterial metabolism[12,13] Several factors determine caries development; acid production, plaque adherence onto the enamel surface and bacterial metabolism which is influenced by the dietary regime of the host[14] Caries activity of dental plaque is dependent on the degree of calcium saturation within the plaque which influences demineralization of the enamel surface.[15]
Summary
The effect of fluoridated milk on inhibition and remineralizing treatment of initial caries lesions has been studied in clinical[1,2,3,4] and experimental in vitro investigations[5,6,7,8]. In this study a bacterial demineralization model was used which mimics more closely the oral conditions to study the effect of fluoridated milk on enamel demineralization and remineralization. Milk contains relatively high concentrations of calcium and phosphorus and may be an ideal carrier for remineralization of enamel[16, 17] It has been debated whether milk alone and milk products have a cariostatic effect[18,19,20,21] Recent investigations have shown that fluoridated milk is more effective in caries inhibition than milk alone[5, 6, 8, 9] Dietary regimes and fluoride bioavailability are the keystone for caries inhibition and remineralization
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Schedule a callMore From: Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia
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