Effect of long-term administration of fluoride on the levels of EDTA-soluble protein and gamma-carboxyglutamic acid in rat incisor teeth.

EDTA-soluble material, extracted from incisor teeth of rats given 50 ppm fluoride (NaF) in drinking water ad libitum from conception to age nine wk, contained significantly higher levels of protein (P less than 0.01) and gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (P less than 0.01) than did similar material from control rats. Tooth fluoride levels indicated that the incisors were mildly fluorosed. Analysis of these data indicates that mild fluorosis of rat incisor teeth involves not only the characteristic disturbances of pigmentation and mineral structure but also some alteration of the matrix protein.