FLUORIDE AND PILOCARPINE REDUCE THE RISK OF CARIES PRODUCED BY CHRONIC CLOMIPRAMINE TREATMENT IN RATS

The effects of chronic clomipramine treatment on the incidence of cari es in the rat and their prevention by fluoride and pilocarpine were in vestigated. One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were divided into six groups, five experimental groups, one control group and treated wi th 50 mg/kg/day of clomipramine, 10 ppm fluoride in drinking water, an d 5 mg/kg/day of pilocarpine. All animals were infected with Streptoco ccus sobrinus 6715 and fed a cariogenic diet ad libitum for 42 days. W ater and food consumption, weight gain, salivary flow rate, amylase ac tivity, protein and fluoride concentration in saliva, and caries score s were determined in all animals. Whereas clomipramine significantly i ncreased the fluoride and protein concentration in saliva, pilocarpine only decreased fluoride concentration. Animals treated with clomipram ine developed 40% more sulcal caries than nontreated animals. Administ ration of fluoride (10 ppm) in drinking water and chronic oral adminis tration of pilocarpine prevented the increased risk of developing cari es associated with chronic treatment with clomipramine.