26.12.2013 Views

Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

vitamin D from the diet as dietary intake <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> other vitamin D c<strong>on</strong>taining foods like fish<br />

and yogurt are not c<strong>on</strong>sumed as frequently. A recent Canadian study reported that the<br />

number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> glasses <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> milk c<strong>on</strong>sumed daily was a str<strong>on</strong>g determinant <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> overall vitamin D<br />

levels. 12 The majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> participants were single at the time <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> recruitment into the study<br />

and most had not completed high school (92.2%). This further reinforces the different life<br />

challenges faced by many young urban women and their vulnerability. Educati<strong>on</strong>al levels<br />

likely influence oral health literacy, and may pose another challenge in reaching young<br />

expectant mothers with health promoti<strong>on</strong>al materials that are clearly understood and easy<br />

to follow in the home setting with infants.<br />

Most participants in this study admitted to previously hearing <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Early Childhood<br />

Caries (ECC) (77%). However, c<strong>on</strong>sidering the socioec<strong>on</strong>omic and ethnic compositi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

this cohort, this comes as little surprise. The prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ECC am<strong>on</strong>g urban<br />

disadvantaged groups in Manitoba is similar to that for some northern populati<strong>on</strong>s. 23,24<br />

While 90.3% in this study felt that their own dental health was important during<br />

pregnancy, <strong>on</strong>ly 38.5% rated their oral health as being good. Further, 36.1% reported<br />

having dental problems at the time <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enrollment. This suggests that oral health may be a<br />

c<strong>on</strong>cern for many expectant mothers. Access to care may be limited and other life<br />

challenges may make it difficult to seek dental care. This may even become more limited<br />

during pregnancy. With emerging evidence that maternal oral health during pregnancy<br />

may be associated with negative birth outcomes and the fact that cariogenic bacteria are<br />

most comm<strong>on</strong>ly transmitted vertically from mother to infant, improving the oral health<br />

status <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high-risk women is important. 25-27 6-6

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!