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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

Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

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devastating problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ECC. Improving the integrity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> primary tooth enamel would<br />

ultimately improve host resistance to developing ECC. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Vitamin</str<strong>on</strong>g> D supplementati<strong>on</strong><br />

during pregnancy is known to be associated with a reduced incidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enamel<br />

hypoplasia in the primary dentiti<strong>on</strong> 35 , yet such supplementati<strong>on</strong> for preterm infants has<br />

been found to have no effect <strong>on</strong> DDE in both primary and permanent teeth. 51 A recent<br />

Canadian study was unable to dem<strong>on</strong>strate a reducti<strong>on</strong> in the prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enamel<br />

hypoplasia as a result <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high dose vitamin D supplementati<strong>on</strong> during pregnancy or<br />

infancy. 92 However, there is ample evidence that episodes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> malnutriti<strong>on</strong> are associated<br />

with primary tooth decay as such events predispose enamel hypoplastic defects and also<br />

reduce salivary gland functi<strong>on</strong>. 60<br />

Obviously, stressors experienced in utero and during periods <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> early childhood<br />

development can negatively impact the primary and permanent dentiti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> children.<br />

While not all DDE involve quantitative changes in enamel, those that involve structural<br />

changes increase the child’s susceptibility <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing dental decay. The presence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

DDE during infancy should be <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>cern as this likely c<strong>on</strong>tributes to the epidemic<br />

proporti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ECC experienced by residual populati<strong>on</strong>s. This thesis study will help to<br />

provide better quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> evidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the relati<strong>on</strong>ship between prenatal risk factors,<br />

particularly vitamin D deficiency, and both DDE and ECC.<br />

1.2-19

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