Protein and mineral release during in vitro demineralization of bovine dentine

Intact bovine dentine specimens were partially demineralized using 100 mM acetic acid (pH 4.5 or 5.0) at room temperature. Mineral and protein release was measured. The experiments were performed in dissolution cells as well as in a flow dialysis apparatus previously described by Van der Linden et al. (1985). The average demineralization rates were approximately 1.5 times higher at pH 4.5 than at pH 5.0. No collagen release could be detected after one week of demineralization but about 50% of the non-collagenous proteins (NCP) were released during demineralization. This study showed that (1) a large fraction of NCP's is retained in dentine during demineralization and (2) that dentine collagen cannot be destroyed by acid alone.