Oxalic acid in saliva, teeth and tooth tartar.

Oxalic acid was determined in human saliva, teeth, tartar, and in animal teeth. Saliva from dentally healthy male subjects contained 0.10 +/- 0.09 mmol/l (n = 41) and those of dentally healthy female subjects 0.18 +/- 0.17 mmol/l (n = 40). Oxalic acid in tartar from 16 patients was 3.3 +/- 1.2 mmol/kg tartar. In human teeth, oxalic acid was 1.0 +/- 0.3 mmol/kg in milk teeth (n = 12) and 0.9 +/- 0.6 mmol/kg in permanent teeth (n = 60). Human teeth were sorted into age groups and into molars, incisors and premolars. In animal teeth, oxalic acid content varied widely. The formed calcium oxalate is proposed to be a 'physiological' protective mechanism for teeth.