[A study of the microelements in the dental plaque].

In a total of 49 patients, of which 7 were controls, and the other had chronic superficial parodonthopathies, deep chronic mixed parodontopathies and gingivitis, a quantitative analysis was done of microelements from the dental plaque. Neutron activation analysis, chemical and chromatographic methods were used for evidencing the presence of Fe, Mn, Zn, Mg, Co, Ca, Na, and K ions in the dental plaque. Significant changes were noted with regard to the Fe, Zn, and Ca contents of the dental plaque in patients with deep and mixed parodonthopathies. In the patients with gingivitis high Mn and Na concentrations were found and low Mg and K ion contents. Cobalt in the dental plaque was within normal limits in all the patients. Changes of the microelements in the dental plaque are useful for clinical laboratories in view of detecting at an early stage the development of pathological processes which occur in the buccal cavity.