Osteoporosis and mandibular bone resorption in the Sprague Dawley rat.

Mandibular bone resorption in normal and osteoporotic rats was measured using standard scintillation techniques for tritiated tetracycline (H3-TC). Thirty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were labeled with H3-TC at 4-9 weeks of age. Ten animals were then sacrificed for baseline radioactivity levels, while 12 experimental animals were given a high protein, low calcium diet, and 12 control animals were given a normal calcium diet. Osteoporotic and normal diets were instituted for 90 days. The results show a significant reduction in the quantity of bone in the experimental group (P less than .05) as compared to the control group. In addition, serum samples collected were found to contain significantly elevated (P less than .01) alkaline phosphatase level in the experimental group when compared to the control group.