Effect of Zinc-Deficient Diet on Oral Tissues and Periodontal Indices in Rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyed Ali Seyedmajidi 1
Maryam Seyedmajidi 1
Aliakbar Moghadamnia 2
Zohreh Khani 3
Samir Zahedpasha 4
Niloofar Jenabian 1
Gholamali Jorsaraei 5
Sohrab Halalkhor 6
Mina Motallebnejad 1
1 Dental Materials Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
2 Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
3 Students' Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
4 Dental Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
5 Fatemeh-Zahra Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
6 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) as a nutritional factor affects the health of the oral tissues. This study was done for the evaluation of
the effects of zinc deficiency on the oral tissues of rats. The study was carried out on 14 male Wistar rats, cessation of lactation on the 24th day after birth. The rats were randomly divided into two groups. Zinc deficient
(ZD) diet was used for one group and another group was fed with a zinc-containing (ZC) diet. The alterations of
the oral tissues in both groups were evaluated clinically after four weeks. Also the gingival index and periodontal
pocket depth were recorded. The measurement of serum zinc level was done by atomic absorption
spectrophotometry. The microscopic slides of oral tissue specimen were evaluated quantitatively. The serum zinc
level of the ZD rats was lower than the ZC group (p< 0.001). According clinical findings, the gingival index was
lower in ZC rat (p=0.001), but there was no significant difference regarding the periodontal pocket depth
between two groups (p=0.07). Aphthous ulcer was observed in ZD rats on the floor of the mouth. There was no
significant difference regarding the epithelial and keratin thickening between two groups. This study indicated
that oral and periodontal health was better in ZC rats than in ZD rats. Aphthous lesions were more prominent in
ZD rats. This study confirmed that zinc deficiency may endanger oral and periodo ntal structures.
Keywords
Zinc
oral tissue
periodontal indices