Fructooligosaccharide consumption improves the decreased dentin formation and mandibular defects following gastrectomy in rats.

Objective:  We examined the effects of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) consumption on gastrectomy-evoked osteopenia and disorders of dentin formation in rats. Materials and methods:  Male Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 28, 35-day old) were equally divided into two groups; sham-operated and gastrectomized, and sham-operation or total gastrectomy was performed. Four weeks after each surgery, the rats were divided into two sub-groups (n = 7 each); with or without 7.5% FOS-feeding for 6 weeks. Backscattered electron images of the mandibular sections were taken to calculate trabecular bone area, cortical bone area and total scan area. Thereafter, the dentin formation rate in maxilla were calculated using a fluorescent microscope. Results:  Trabecular bone area and cortical bone area in GX rats were markedly decreased. FOS-feeding significantly counteracted this reduction, but not to the level seen in sham-operated rats. Total scan area in gastrectomized groups was significantly decreased. The dentin formation rate was not statistically different among the groups, except the gastrectomized group. Conclusion:  These results suggest that FOS consumption partially restored osteopenia and almost completely restored the reduction in dentin formation following gastrectomy in rats.