Does osteomalacia contribute to development of oral complications of oxalosis?
Two renal dialysis patients with oral manifestations of oxalosis had undecalcified sections of iliac and alveolar bone and teeth examined histologically in an attempt to explain the development of tooth mobility and tooth loss. Osteomalacia was detected in all bone specimens and attributed to aluminum toxicity after the histochemical localization of aluminum at the calcification front between osteoid and calcified matrix. Aluminum was also detected histochemically in the cementum of teeth. Calcium oxalate crystals were present in bone marrow, teeth, and gingiva. It is proposed that tooth mobility and tooth loss in oxalosis result from the combined effects of osteomalacia and oxalate crystal deposition within the periodontium. To prevent avoidable tooth loss it is suggested that patients with oxalosis who develop tooth mobility should have aluminum toxicity and osteomalacia excluded as causal factors.
