The Effects Of Diets Deficient In Calcium Or Phosphorus In The Presence And Absence Of Supplements Of Vitamin-D On The Secondary Cementum And Alveolar Bone Of Young Rats

Weanling rats were maintained for 14 weeks on diets low in calcium (0.026 per cent) or low in phosphorus (0.06 per cent) with or without the addition of vitamin D. The formation of secondary cementum was most severely disturbed by a double deficiency of calcium and vitamin D. The disturbance caused by diets deficient in phosphorus and vitamin D whilst serious was not so severe. In contrast a simple deficiency of phosphorus caused a greater disruption of cementum formation than did a simple lack of calcium.