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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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Chapter 7 – C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s<br />

This thesis focused <strong>on</strong> the relati<strong>on</strong>ship between vitamin D and oral health. Of particular<br />

interest was the influence that prenatal vitamin D c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s could have <strong>on</strong> infant<br />

oral health, specifically enamel hypoplasia and Early Childhood Caries (ECC). <str<strong>on</strong>g>Vitamin</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

D deficiency is comm<strong>on</strong> in some Manitoba populati<strong>on</strong>s and ECC is also prevalent. A<br />

review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the ECC literature in Chapter 1, Secti<strong>on</strong> 1 revealed that Aboriginal children in<br />

Canada bear a higher burden <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> caries. It is not just a phenomen<strong>on</strong> in remote First<br />

Nati<strong>on</strong>s communities, but is also prevalent am<strong>on</strong>g Aboriginal children residing in urban<br />

centres.<br />

While ECC is a complex and multifactorial disease affecting infants and<br />

preschool children that is heavily influenced by the determinants <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> health, a key<br />

determinant is the presence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enamel defects, termed enamel hypoplasia. These defects<br />

are easily col<strong>on</strong>ized by cariogenic microorganisms that can increase susceptibility to<br />

caries development. Numerous risk factors for enamel hypoplasia have been identified<br />

and were reviewed in Chapter 1, Secti<strong>on</strong> 2. These defects are the result <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> disturbances to<br />

ameloblasts that form enamel. It has been reported that low calcium and vitamin D<br />

c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s can increase the risk for such developmental defects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enamel.<br />

Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the earliest work in this area dates back to the first half <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the twentieth<br />

century. Chapter 1, Secti<strong>on</strong> 3 reviewed this evidence relating to vitamin D and oral health<br />

outcomes including enamel hypoplasia and caries. In fact, there is historical literature<br />

reporting that vitamin D has an effect <strong>on</strong> the dentiti<strong>on</strong>, particularly in improving<br />

resistance to dental caries. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Vitamin</str<strong>on</strong>g> D fortified diets appeared to reduce and arrest caries<br />

in some children. Although there is evidence that vitamin D supplementati<strong>on</strong> during<br />

7-1

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