Vitamin D for Better Teeth
Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 6:23AM
We know that kids need vitamin D to help them grow strong bones, but the question of whether “D” is also important for healthy teeth has never been settled. However, a new review of studies going back to the 1920s suggests that getting adequate “D” may help reduce the incidence of tooth decay by as much as 50 percent. The analysis, published in the December 2012 issue of Nutrition Reviews, evaluated 24 selected clinical trials involving data on some 3,000 children between the ages of two and 16 (with a mean age of 10) in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Austria, New Zealand and Sweden. The reviewer, Philippe Hujoel, Ph.D., D.D.S., from the University of Washington, noted that vitamin D levels in many populations are declining while tooth decay is increasing. His review looked at trials that increased vitamin D levels in youngsters through the use of intentional exposure to ultraviolet energy or by supplementing the kids’ diets with cod-liver oil or other products containing “D”. Commenting on the review, vitamin D expert Michael Holick, Ph.D, M.D., of Boston University Medical Center, said that children who are vitamin D deficient “have poor and delayed teeth eruption and are prone to dental caries (tooth decay)."
Reader Comments (3)
Great post, didn't know that vitamin D had such an impact on dental health! Going to add it to my suggestions for cavity prevention to patients. Thanks!
I'm wondering, is "artificial" ultraviolet light, such as found in tanning salons, a source of vitamin D? Thanks for the information once agin, I love this blog!
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb the calcium that is present in the food that we eat. Without vitamin D it is not possible for the body to get calcium which is essential for the healthy bones and healthy tooth.