Abstract
1. A comparison was made of the effect of fluorine ingested by. rats from drinking water in the form of sodium fluoride vs. sodium fluosilicate; the quantity of fluorine equaled 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 p.p.m.
2. No differences were observed in the quantity of fluorine deposited in the incisor and molar teeth, mandibles, and femurs, nor in the percent of the ingested fluorine which was retained in the rat’s body. There was no difference in the ash, calcium, and phosphorus content of the incisor teeth, molar teeth, mandibles, and femurs which could be related to the kind of fluoride ingested.
3. There were no differences in the appearance of the characteristic striations on the rats’ incisor teeth which could be attributed to the sodium fluoride vs. sodium fluosilicate.
4. The presence of 15 p.p.m. of silicon as sodium silicate along with 25 p.p.m. of fluorine as sodium fluoride did not affect the amount of fluorine deposited in the rat’s body.
5. The rate of growth was normal in all groups of rats.