Histomorphometric and microchemical characterization of maturing dental enamel in rats fed a boron-deficient diet

Few reports are available in the literature on enamel formation under nutritional deficiencies. Thus, we performed a study to determine the effects of boron (B) deficiency on the maturing dental enamel, employing the rat continuously erupting incisor as the experimental model. Male Wistar rats, 21 days old, were used throughout. They were divided into two groups, each containing ten animals: +B (adequate; 3-mg B/kg diet) and -B (boron deficient; 0.07-mg B/kg diet). The animals were maintained on their respective diets for 14 days and then euthanized. The mandibles were resected, fixed, and processed for embedding in paraffin and/or methyl methacrylate. Oriented histological sections of the continuously erupting incisor were obtained at the level of the mesial root of the first molar, allowing access to the maturation zone of the developing enamel. Dietary treatment did not affect food intake and body weight. Histomorphometric evaluation using undecalcified sections showed a reduction in enamel thickness (hypoplasia), whereas microchemical characterization by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry did not reveal alterations in enamel mineralization.