Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

controls. 106 Interestingly, children who received quartz mercury light radiation appeared
to have greater protection against caries than viosterol. 106
Another study involving American children, ranging in age from four to 16 years
assigned individuals to seven distinct dietary groups, including good and poor diets, with
and without vitamin D drops or irradiation. 107
The addition <strong>of</strong> viosterol or irradiation to a
well balance diet did not have further benefit in lowering the incidence <strong>of</strong> caries, yet
those on a poor diet who received viosterol drops had significantly fewer new lesions
than children who had a poor diet and no supplementation. 107 The influence <strong>of</strong> irradiation
on a poor diet, while beneficial, was not as pr<strong>of</strong>ound as the addition <strong>of</strong> viosterol. 107
Many more dental researchers also considered fortifying foods with vitamin D as
a potential vehicle to prevent caries. For instance, the fortification <strong>of</strong> reconstituted milk
with daily vitamin D in doses <strong>of</strong> 100 units, 150 units, and 300 units provided evidence <strong>of</strong>
a distinct correlation between increasing dosages <strong>of</strong> vitamin D in milk and a reduction in
percentage <strong>of</strong> carious tooth surfaces, 108 supporting the important influence <strong>of</strong> vitamin D
in dental decay.
A controlled clinical trial involving the administration <strong>of</strong> vitamin D drops to
Canadian children ranging in age from two to 16 years was also conducted to substantiate
the emerging evidence <strong>of</strong> the association between vitamin D and caries. 109 All children
received good diets and spent considerable time outside daily. After one year, children
were examined both clinically and radiographically with key findings that children who
received the equivalent <strong>of</strong> eight drops <strong>of</strong> vitamin D (viosterol) daily, added to a cookie,
had less progression <strong>of</strong> established caries lesions in primary teeth and fewer new caries
lesions than unsupplemented controls. 109 Children in the vitamin D group also had fewer
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