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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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Gedicke’s paper examined the influence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a public health approach to eradicate<br />

rickets through vitamin D supplementati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the oral health <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> children three to 18 years<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> age between the years 1952 and 1957. 96<br />

This article provided evidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

possibility <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> preventing caries and improvements in dental health through vitamin D<br />

preparati<strong>on</strong>s intended to prevent rickets. 96 A similar approach was undertaken as a means<br />

to prevent rickets in a Northern Manitoba community where a modified form <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Stosstherapy was administered during pregnancy or infancy. 97<br />

Unfortunately, no<br />

significant differences in caries rates were found between children who benefited from<br />

additi<strong>on</strong>al vitamin D and those who did not. 97 The findings are c<strong>on</strong>founded by the fact<br />

that the majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> children examined had underg<strong>on</strong>e aggressive rehabilitative dental<br />

surgery.<br />

While children with VDRR have an increased prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> enamel hypoplasia,<br />

they are also pr<strong>on</strong>e to dental caries. The introducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1α-hydroxyvitamin D 3 during<br />

infancy and childhood to manage VDRR has lead to improvements in oral health. 98 Those<br />

who received vitamin D and c<strong>on</strong>tinued to receive supplementati<strong>on</strong> at the time <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dental<br />

examinati<strong>on</strong> had lower caries rates in the permanent dentiti<strong>on</strong> than adults who either did<br />

not receive or who <strong>on</strong>ly received supplementati<strong>on</strong> until adulthood (DMFT = 2.4 ± 2.4 vs.<br />

20.4 ± 6.4). 98<br />

Supplementati<strong>on</strong> and Dietary Interventi<strong>on</strong>s<br />

There are several studies that point to the potential influence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> vitamin D <strong>on</strong> the<br />

development and progressi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dental caries. Unfortunately, much <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this evidence has<br />

been overlooked by the dental community. The majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these studies have examined<br />

the benefit <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fortifying the diet with vitamin D or foods and compounds c<strong>on</strong>taining this<br />

1.3-21

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