Alveolar bone loss induced by chronic ethanol consumption from adolescence to adulthood in Wistar rats

Indian J Exp Biol. 2015 Feb;53(2):93-7.

Abstract

Though there are literature indicating the bone loss due to alcohol consumption, studies on the association between ethanol consumption and periodontal breakdown in animals are either scarce or have provided conflicting results. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic alcohol exposure from adolescence to adulthood on the alveolar bone in rats. Wistar rats were exposed to ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day) in a solution of 22.5% (w/v) or distilled water (control) by gavage from 35 days of age (adolescent) until 90 days (adulthood). Evaluation of the bone loss was performed using scanning electronic microscopy, in which the distances between the cement-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest from the palatal side of the first molar mandibular were measured. The measurements obtained were tabulated and analyzed using Student's t-test. Alcohol-treated group revealed greater bone loss in comparison to the control group. These findings indicate that heavy chronic alcohol exposure from adolescent to adulthood can induce alveolar bone loss in rats associated to absence of periodontitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Alveolar Bone Loss / chemically induced*
  • Alveolar Bone Loss / diagnosis
  • Alveolar Process / drug effects*
  • Alveolar Process / pathology
  • Alveolar Process / ultrastructure
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / administration & dosage
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / toxicity
  • Ethanol / administration & dosage
  • Ethanol / toxicity*
  • Female
  • Mandibular Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Mandibular Diseases / diagnosis
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Ethanol