Effect of copper co-crystallized with sugar on caries development in desalivated rats

The purpose of the present study was to explore the effects of varying levels of copper incorporated in sucrose by co-crystallization on caries development in the desalivated rat model and to examine the retention of copper in the oral cavity and its influence on protein and carbohydrate composition of plaque. Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were infected by Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 and desalivated when aged 26 days. Four groups were placed in a König-Höfer programmed feeder and received 17 meals daily at hourly intervals, and essential nutrition (NCP No. 2) by gavage twice daily. The control group (1) received meals of plain sucrose, and groups 2, 3, and 4 received sucrose co-crystallized with 300 ppm Cu2+(2), 150 Cu2+(3), and 75 Cu2+(4). After 3 weeks, the animals were killed, and blood was collected for determination of copper. The lower jaw was removed and sonicated in 0.9% saline solution. Microbial assessment and copper, protein and carbohydrate assays were performed for each animal. Smooth-surface and [sulcal] caries scores were: (1) 92.0[41.4]; (2) 6.1[34.2]; (3) 16.7[32.0]; (4) 24.0[36.0]. Copper in sucrose drastically affected the population of S. sobrinus when compared with the control. Also, Cu2+ sucrose groups had significantly more copper per unit of protein and carbohydrate in jaw suspension than the control group. Concentration of copper in the blood was apparently unaffected by any dietary regimen. It is concluded that Cu2+ in a range of concentrations (75-300 ppm Cu2+) when delivered co-crystallized with sucrose is an effective cariostatic agent. The co-crystallization of a cariostatic agent with sucrose may be an effective method to decrease the cariogenic potential of sucrose.