Vitamin D may be a potent cavity fighter, according to a new analysis of studies that finds a significant link between low levels of the “sunshine vitamin” and tooth decay.
The review, published in the journal Nutrition Reviews, analyzed 24 clinical trials involving about 3,000 children between the 1920s and the 1980s. The results showed that vitamin D was associated with a 50 percent reduction in the rate of tooth decay.
"My main goal was to summarize the clinical trial database so that we could take a fresh look at this vitamin D question," said Dr. Philippe Hujoel of the University of Washington, who led the analysis.
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"Whether this is more than just a coincidence is open to debate," he added. "In the meantime, pregnant women or young mothers can do little harm by realizing that vitamin D is essential to their offspring's health. Vitamin D does lead to teeth and bones that are better mineralized."
Vitamin D has long been known to be important for healthy bones, but there has been much debate on its ability to prevent cavities.
In an effort to resolve the dispute, Hujoel reviewed two dozen clinical trials conducted in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Austria, New Zealand, and Sweden involving children between the ages of 2 and 16 years.
Dr. Michael Hollick, professor of medicine at the Boston University Medical Center, said Hujoel’s findings "reaffirm the importance of vitamin D for dental health." He said that "children who are vitamin D deficient have poor and delayed teeth eruption and are prone to dental caries."