Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)), a major inorganic component in bones and teeth, offers potential protection against demineralization. This study investigates the effect of CaCO(3) from Anadara granosa shells on the expression of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and collagen type 1 in the rat dental pulp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The first maxillary molars of Rattus norvegicus were perforated and subsequently pulp capped with CaCO(3) extracted from A. granosa shells. The cavities were then filled with glass ionomer cement, while the control group received calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)(2)). Teeth were extracted after 7 and 14 days of treatment, and the expression of FGF2, TGF-β1, and collagen type 1 in the dental pulp was analyzed using immunohistochemistry staining. RESULTS: The group treated with CaCO(3) from A. granosa shells exhibited significantly higher expression of FGF2, TGF-β1, and collagen type 1 in the dental pulp at both 7 and 14 days compared with the group treated with Ca(OH)(2) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The application of CaCO(3) derived from A. granosa shells enhances the proliferative phase in the dental pulp after pulp perforation and perhaps promotes reparative dentine formation.