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Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

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The general prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> hypoplastic defects in primary teeth ranges from 13-<br />

39% and can approximate 62% am<strong>on</strong>g premature infants. 66 Enamel hypoplasia has also<br />

been found to be more prevalent am<strong>on</strong>g children <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> low SES 66,96,106-109<br />

and those with a<br />

history <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> premature birth 100,110,111 .<br />

C<strong>on</strong>troversy with the prenatal nutriti<strong>on</strong>al hypothesis primarily relates to the lack<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dem<strong>on</strong>strated associati<strong>on</strong> between nutriti<strong>on</strong>al deficiencies in utero and enamel<br />

hypoplasia and ECC 97 , although children with ne<strong>on</strong>atal tetany resulting from maternal<br />

deficiencies dem<strong>on</strong>strate enamel defects 98 , a key risk factor for ECC. Another dilemma<br />

involves the possible c<strong>on</strong>founding effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> other variables, such as low birth weight and<br />

prematurity when attempting to investigate the associati<strong>on</strong>s between enamel hypoplasia,<br />

malnutriti<strong>on</strong> and ECC. 112,113 Regardless, what we know about the effect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> factors during<br />

the prenatal period <strong>on</strong> ECC has generally come from retrospective investigati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

Evidence suggests that the prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> hypoplasia in the adult upper incisors<br />

may be reduced through vitamin supplementati<strong>on</strong> both pre and post-natally, over several<br />

years. 106,114,115 Likewise, children whose mothers received 400 IU <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> vitamin D beginning<br />

in the 12 th week <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pregnancy, in a placebo-c<strong>on</strong>trolled trial, had a lower prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

hypoplastic defects in primary teeth. 116 Therefore, vitamin supplementati<strong>on</strong> may help<br />

reduce the incidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these defects. However, <strong>on</strong>ly 63 children <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a total <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 627<br />

children in this cohort underwent the dental examinati<strong>on</strong> between two and three years <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

age. 116 The small sample size is a limitati<strong>on</strong> al<strong>on</strong>g with the fact that identifying true<br />

enamel hypoplasia in the primary anterior teeth is difficult at this age, as some defects<br />

may have been masked by subsequent caries.<br />

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