CHANGES IN THE PLASMA ELECTROLYTES AND METABOLITES OF THE RAT FOLLOWING ACUTE EXPOSURE TO SODIUM-FLUORIDE AND STRONTIUM CHLORIDE

Acute exposure of rats to strontium or fluoride by i.p. injection of sodium fluoride or strontium chloride resulted in a systemic response in which changes occurred in the plasma electrolytes and metabolites. Strontium resulted in a rapid but temporary hypercalcaemia while fluoride produced a temporary hypocalcaemia. There was no significant hypophosphataemia after fluoride and only a transient hypophosphataemia with strontium. There was some indication of kidney damage and a general stress response following fluoride injection. These results do not support the hypothesis that interglobular dentine is associated with hypophosphataemia or hypoplastic enamel with hypocalcaemia and are in conflict with the observation that the formation of interglobular dentine following the injection of lead acetate is associated with hyperphosphataemia and hypercalcaemia.