There’s a very common pattern surrounding dental check-ups. Chances are, you were told at your last appointment that you should brush and floss more. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry—you’re not alone.

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that produced primarily by sunlight exposure or obtained from dietary sources, including supplements. The persons who are normally at risk of Vitamin D deficiency are those with scarce of sun exposure and diminished intestinal absorption or limited oral intake. Teeth are nothing but mineralized structure which is enclosed by alveolar bone and are developed by 3 different hard tissues such as dentin, enamel, and cementum. Vitamin D plays a predominant vital part in the tooth and bone mineralization, and it can result in rachitic tooth when the levels get unregulated. Studies suggest that Vitamin D deficiency causes hypocalcified dentin and delayed tooth eruption; thus, representing that Vitamin D has a crucial role in dentin formation as well. The beneficial effects of vitamin D on oral health are not only limited to the direct effects on the tooth mineralization but are also applied through ability to stimulate the production of anti-microbial peptides. In this article, we will briefly discuss the influence on Vitamin D level on the oral and pulpal health.

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that is obtained through diet or synthesised in the skin from cholesterol when the skin receives adequate sun exposure (the main means of obtaining the vitamin). Unfortunately, exposure to direct sunlight has declined dramatically in today’s society with the increase in the number of office jobs. Furthermore, as we grow older, our ability to absorb vitamin D decreases. Vitamin D deficiency is a global public health problem, affecting all age groups. Recent studies have shown that about 70% of society is deficient in vitamin D.1

The potential role of VDR gene variations in modulating periodontal susceptibility have been a subject of scientific investigations. The aim of this paper is to perform a literature review of the potential correlation between Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and periodontal disease.

Vitamin D (VD) levels have been gaining growing attention in Oral Health. During growth and adulthood, VD deficiency (VDD) is associated with a wide variety of oral health disorders, and impaired VD synthesis may expedite some of these conditions. In children, severe VDD can induce defective tooth mineralization, resulting in dentin and enamel defects.

How does a patient’s vitamin D intake (or lack thereof) affect the success or failure of the person’s implant? More research is being done on this topic. Michael Foley of Dentamedica elaborates.

First appeared in print edition of Dentistry Today | April 1, 2020 | Volume 39 No. 4 | pg. 72-29 Introduction Dental implants are generally considered a safe and highly predictable surgical procedure performed by many clinicians with the aim of replacing missing teeth. Yet, to this day, a number of implants placed in adequate […]

First published online at Perio-Implant Advisory | February 3, 2020 Dr. Scott Froum explains how vitamin D deficiency can adversely affect wound healing after dental surgery and alter implant success rates. He advises about adequate levels of the vitamin and discusses its importance to periodontal health. Vitamin D in its inactive form (vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol) […]