High-sucrose diet inhibits basal secretion of intradentinal dye penetration-stimulating parotid hormone in pigs.

Earlier studies indicated that feeding rats a high-sucrose diet for 1 wk decreases the intrinsic rate of intradentinal dye penetration in molar teeth. Because intradentinal dye penetration appears to be controlled by a parotid hormone, we investigated the chronic effect of a high-sucrose diet on basal parotid hormone secretion in pigs. In fasted pigs, the plasma immunoreactive parotid hormone titer decreased significantly after substitution of a high-sucrose diet for standard chow and remained at a level 72% lower for 40 days until the diet was reverted to standard chow. Within 3 days of diet reversion, the basal hormone titer returned to its original value. The results indicate that a high-sucrose diet can significantly alter the basal secretion of parotid hormone. The possibility exists that inhibition of intradentinal dye penetration after ingestion of a high-sucrose diet could be the result of depressed parotid hormone secretion.