Studies on Dog Saliva: I. Some Physico-Chemical Characteristics
Abstract
From: The Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland STUDIES ON DOG SALIVA I. SOME PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS hY MARKKU LARMAS ARJE SCHEININ INTRODUCTION Dogs have been found to possess a marked natural resistance to dental caries under experimental conditions. Bodinghauer (1947) has reported the incidence of dental caries in 2113 dogs to be 5.77 per cent. Rudinu (1959) reporting on a study of 209 dogs, concluded that spontaneous dental caries similar to that in man does not occur in dogs. Airellanby reported (1929) that no carious lesions developed in 28 dogs kept for many months on presumably cariogenic diets, unless artifical cavities were first prepared into the dentine. Lewis (1965) reported that the activity of dental caries was never manifested clinically, radiographirally or histologically during two years of study on dogs, although the dogs were kept on a high carbohydrate diet, the salivary glands extirpated, and lactobacillus broth was injected weekly into three teeth which were covered with a metallic crown. When now trying to elucidate the possible role of saliva on the caries resistance of dogs, it may be considered that the eventual differences between man and dog in the physico-chemical properties of saliva might provide information