Abstract
Summary
Dentin and enamel from 13 species comprising the primate, canine, bovine, feline, porcine and the rodent were analyzed for citrate. A wide variation in citrate concentration of the dental tissues was found. The dentin and enamel of the teeth of man contained 0.880% and 0.100% citrate, respectively. Similar dental tissues of the monkey, another primate, contained 0.510% and 0.053% citrate, respectively. The dentin and enamel of the teeth of the pig contained 1/6 and 1/10 as much citrate, respectively, as the same dental tissues in the human. The dentin and enamel of the molars of the rodent contained more citrate than the corresponding tissues of the incisors. A 4- to 5-fold variation was seen in the citrate content of the dentin of molars and incisors among the 5 rodents. The white rat had the highest concentration of citrate in the dental tissues, namely, 0.470% and 0.054% in molar dentin and enamel, respectively, and 0.110% and 0.024% in incisor dentin and enamel, respectively. The dentin and enamel of the rapidly growing incisors of the rodent contained less citrate than the same dental tissues of the molars. The possible relationship of citrate content of the dental tissues to caries and to crystallinity of dentin and enamel apatite is discussed.
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