Suitability of human, bovine, equine, and ovine tooth enamel for studies of artificial bacterial carious lesions.
Abstract: The progress of artificial caries-like lesions created in human, bovine, equine, and ovine enamel has been studied. Lesions were produced by exposure to an acid gel system or by 5-day exposure to a sequential batch culture technique using Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832. Longitudinal ground sections were prepared. The lesions were of similar appearance in all species when examined in polarized light. The depth in human enamel was approximately half that in the animal species. Microradiography confirmed subsurface demineralization in all four species. Similar depth ratios were seen in the scanning electron microscope, but there were structural differences between lesions in human and animal teeth. Lesions in bovine teeth were more like those in human, but lesions in equine and ovine teeth were markedly different. Substitution of these animal enamels for human enamel in caries experiments demands that these differences be taken into account. Scanning electron microscopy is capable of resolving features in artificial caries lesions which cannot be differentiated by polarized light techniques. The latter will demonstrate generalized mineral loss, but scanning electron microscopy is required to characterize the sites of mineral loss.
Publication Date: 1988-01-01 PubMed ID: 3214846DOI: 10.1159/000261132Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study compares the progress of artificial bacterial carious lesions (tooth decay) in human, bovine, equine, and ovine enamel using two different exposure techniques. The research finds differences in the depth and structure of the lesions in these species, emphasizing the need to consider these variations when using animal enamels in tooth decay experiments.
Objective and Methods
- The research aimed to compare how artificial caries-like lesions (essentially tooth decay caused in a laboratory setting) developed in the enamel of human, bovine (cow), equine (horse), and ovine (sheep) teeth.
- The lesions were induced by exposing the teeth to an acidic gel or by a five-day exposure in a sequential batch culture technique using a specific kind of bacteria, Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832.
- Following this, longitudinal (lengthwise) sections of the teeth were prepared for further examination.
Observations
- Polarized light examination showed that lesions appeared similar in all species. However, the depth of the damage in human enamel was about half that in animal species.
- Microradiography, a technique that uses X-rays to view small structures, confirmed subsurface demineralization (loss of minerals) in all four species.
- On further examination using a scanning electron microscope, it was noticed that while the depth ratios were similar, there were structural differences between the damage in human teeth and animal teeth.
- Caries lesions in bovine teeth were structurally more similar to human teeth, while those in equine and ovine teeth were starkly different.
Implications
- This study is important for any research that uses animal teeth as substitutes for human teeth in tooth decay experiments, as it shows that there are some significant differences between these enamels.
- The research suggests that while the polarized light techniques can show general mineral loss, a scanning electron microscope would be required to characterize specific sites of mineral loss.
Conclusion
- The paper concludes with an admonition to researchers about considering the observed differences when substituting animal teeth for human ones in experiments about caries or tooth decay.
- It also highlights the importance of using scanning electron microscopy in these investigations to characterize the specific sites of mineral loss in artificial caries lesions.
Cite This Article
APA
Edmunds DH, Whittaker DK, Green RM.
(1988).
Suitability of human, bovine, equine, and ovine tooth enamel for studies of artificial bacterial carious lesions.
Caries Res, 22(6), 327-336.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000261132 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Dental School, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Animals
- Cattle / anatomy & histology
- Dental Caries / etiology
- Dental Caries / microbiology
- Dental Caries / pathology
- Dental Enamel / pathology
- Dental Enamel / ultrastructure
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Humans
- Lactates
- Lactic Acid
- Microradiography
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
- Microscopy, Polarization
- Middle Aged
- Sheep / anatomy & histology
- Streptococcus mutans
Citations
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