The short-term uptake and retention of fluoride in developing enamel and bone

Eight- and 12-day-old rat pups were injected intraperitoneally with fluoride. Plasma, molar enamel, and bone samples were collected at observation times up to six hr after injection. In a second series, adult rats maintained for six weeks on water containing 5 ppm F were injected with fluoride. Plasma, incisor enamel, and bone samples were collected at the same observation times as those used in the first series. Fluoride assays were conducted by means of the microdiffusion, ion-selective-electrode method. In the suckling rats, plasma [F] levels peaked at 15 min and returned nearly to baseline in one hr. Significant increases in the [F] of developing enamel and bone were observed. No significant decline from the peak [F] seen in the hard tissues was observed over the six-hour period. Similar results were seen in the developing enamel of the adult rats. The data gave no evidence of a short-term reversible component of fluoride uptake in developing enamel. Apparent increases in F uptake in enamel and bone beyond peak plasma values suggest the presence of a diffusion-limiting membrane for fluoride from the extracellular fluids into the mineralizing matrix.