Accumulation of Cu and Zn in Human Dental Plaque in vivo

The rentention of copper and zinc in dental plaque in vivo after repeated mouth rinses with aqueous solutions of salts of these elements was measured by neutron activation analysis. The reduction in acidogenicity of plaque after exposure to the metal ions was also monitored. A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in acid formation was seen in plaque exposed to five subsequent rinses. The mean amounts of Cu and Zn in plaque increased more than 10-fold after five rinses. It is concluded that these metals are retained in plaque and that their concentrations in plaque increase with repeated applications.