Regeneration of periodontal tissues following experimentally induced periodontitis in rats: a comparison of sucrose-rich and conventional diets.
The purpose of the present study is to elucidate influences of diet on periodontal regeneration following experimental periodontitis in rats. S-D rats were divided into two groups, which were fed either a conventional diet (group A) or a sucrose-rich diet (group B). Experimental periodontitis was produced by placement of elastic bands between maxillary molar teeth. After one week, the elastic bands were removed and the animals were sacrified by perfusion fixation with formalin immediately, 1, 3, or 5 days, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 weeks after the removal. Sections of the teeth and surrounding tissue were examined by light microscopy. Three days after the removal, in both groups, granulation tissues with many inflammatory cells were covered by epithelial cells; the attachment site to the root surface was located more apically than the cemento-enamel junction. Distinct periodontal pockets were formed by five days after the removal in group A. In group B, the infiltrations of inflammatory cells were more prominent than in group A. Six weeks after the removal in both groups, an epithelium which resembled long junctional epithelium rather than pocket epithelium became thicker. Eight weeks after the removal, the findings were similar to those of six weeks in group A. However, a severe inflammatory cell concentration was found in group B. These results suggest that periodontal wound healing is markedly influenced by diet, and that this experimental system is useful for studying dynamic changes in both pocket and long junctional epithelia.