Testing of Antioxidants against Experimental Caries in Rats

Demonstration of the caries-inhibiting potential of sodium metabisulfitel has been followed by subsequent investigations into certain other aspects of the chemical activ-ities of this compound in an effort to clarify its mode of action. For example, two other carbonyl-binding compounds-dimedone and aminooxyacetic acid hemihydrochloride-were also found to inhibit rat caries.2 The well-known antioxidant properties of bi-sulfite3 have prompted the testing of a number of other common antioxidants, includ-ing some used commercially in foods, for their effect on experimental caries produced by a coarse corn-particle diet. Of additional interest in this respect are certain re-ports4 5 concerned with the effect of oxidizing agents on experimental caries and on acid production in saliva. However, the exact role of these compounds is not clear, since varying results have been reported. For example, Hein and Wisotsky4 found that low levels of potassium permanganate had no effect, while Shapiro, Brat, and Ershoff5 reported that hydrogen peroxide and other oxidizing agents, including zinc peroxide and sodium perborate, initiated caries in rats on a normally non-cariogenic diet.