Effect of Estrone and Estriol on Salivary Glands and Dental Caries In Female Rats.

Summary Female rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were maintained on a car-iogenic diet and were injected subcutaneously daily with 0.2 mg estrone or 0.5 mg estriol for 6 weeks. Either treatment caused a decrease in absolute wet weights of the sub-mandibular and parotid salivary glands and a decrease in the number of diameter of sub-mandibular granular tubules. The incidence of dental caries of estriol- or estrone-treated rats was significantly increased, and the severity of dental caries was slightly increased in comparison with those of the controls. The effect of estriol and estrone on the submandibular glands and dental caries is identical to those caused by estradiol ben-zoate in the female rat.