Vitamin D May Prevent Tooth Decay

Artistic Touch Dentistry recommends you take your vitamins daily in order to maintain your overall health, but what if Vitamin D could actually prevent tooth decay? The review, published in the December issue of Nutrition Reviews explained that, “research was conducted where 3,000 children enrolled in 24 clinical trials published from the 1920s to the 1980s. Overall, the trials showed that vitamin D supplementation led to a 50 percent drop in the incidence of tooth decay. The researched believed this maybe because vitamin D helps the body absorb the tooth-building calcium it need. In the trials, the vitamin was delivered either via supplemental UV radiation or by diet products, such as cod liver oil, which contain it.”

“Dental caries, or decay, among children is increasing while vitamin D levels among many populations have dropped,” said Philippe Hujoel, PhD, DDS, of the University of Washington. Everyday Health noted that, “in recent years, vitamin D has gained a reputation as sort of a vitamin cure-all. Most recently, women with the highest levels of vitamin D were shown to have the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by researchers at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis.”

“A second separate study found that low vitamin D levels results in a greater Alzheimer’s risk, even when isolating for other lifestyle and health factors such as body-mass index, diet, and cognitive performance. Other strong links have been identified between low levels of vitamin D and cancer and low levels of vitamin D and heart disease,” Everyday Health explained. While the benefits of vitamin D are still being debated, it can never hurt to add this vitamin to your daily routine. When you need a check up or have questions about your oral hygiene then give our dentists at Artistic Touch Dentistry a call today and schedule an appointment.