Glucose retention on the surfaces of primary teeth in 3- and 4-yr-old children

Glucose retention was determined in 38 kindergarten children ages 3-4 yr. The children rinsed their mouths with 10 ml of a 0.5 mol/l glucose solution for 15 s and then spat out. Three minutes after they put the solution in their mouths, a small paper-point was used to collect samples of saliva from the labial and buccal surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular primary teeth. The concentration of glucose in the small amount of saliva collected was measured with an immobilized enzyme system. Glucose retention was highest on the maxillary central primary incisor, second highest on the maxillary first primary molar and third highest on the maxillary lateral primary incisor. An intermediate value was seen on the maxillary and mandibular second primary molars, the mandibular first primary molar and the maxillary primary canine. A lower value was observed on the mandibular primary canine and the lowest on the mandibular incisors. It was concluded that there were site differences in glucose retention on primary teeth of 3- and 4-yr-old children.