Fluoride distribution of rat molar cementum in relation to age and fluoride levels in the drinking water.

The present study was undertaken to determine the fluoride distribution profile in rat molar cementum with age in relation to fluoride in drinking water. Fifty-four female Wistar rats were used for the experiment. Before the experiment 6 rats were killed under chloroform anesthesia at 4 weeks of age as controls. The remaining 48 rats were divided into two groups: a control group given distilled water and the other group given water containing 100 ppm fluoride ad libitum. Six rats from each group were killed at the ages of 6, 12, 24, and 48 weeks. The fluoride distribution in the molar cementum was analyzed from the surface to the cementodentinal junction by abrasive microsampling. The fluoride concentrations in molar cementum from control rats on distilled water remained relatively constant until 24 weeks. A small increase then occurred between 24 and 48 weeks. The fluoride concentration in cementum from rats drinking water containing 100 ppm fluoride increased markedly with age, both in outer and inner regions of the molar cementum for all rats. On the other hand, the fluoride concentration in the cementum of older rats drinking water with 100 ppm fluoride was significantly higher in the outer than in the inner region of the cementum. It was concluded that the fluoride distribution in rat molar cementum may increase throughout life in relation to the fluoride level in the drinking water.