Fluoride/vitamin D tablet supplementation in infants-effects on dental health after 10 years

Abstract

Objective: We examined whether fluoride/vitamin D supplementation in the first year of life is associated with caries or molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) at 10 years of age.

Methods: The study population consisted of 406 children for whom information on fluoride/vitamin D supplementation during the first year of life was available. Dental examination at the age of 10 included caries and MIH registration. The results of logistic regression models were adjusted for gender, age, BMI, parental education, and equivalent income.

Results: Children receiving supplementation during the entire first year of life had a significantly lower probability of having caries-related restorations in primary teeth in comparison to those who received supplementation for less than 6 months (fluoride supplementation: odds ratio (OR) for d_3-4mfs 2.47 (1.32-4.63), for fs 2.70 (1.43-5.10); vitamin D supplementation: OR for d_3-4mfs 2.08 (1.00-4.32), fs 2.50 (1.19-5.25)). The majority of logistic regression analyses indicated no association between supplementation and MIH.

Conclusions: It was found a consistent significant caries-preventive effect in the primary dentition of children who received fluoride (256/372)/vitamin D supplementation (274/376) in all 12 months over the first year of life; no effects were observed for permanent dentition. The high parental interest in supplementation is linked to an imbalance of the study groups. Furthermore, tooth brushing frequency, use of fluoride toothpastes and/or other oral hygiene products were not recorded during the observation period which may also confound the results.

Clinical relevance: Fluoride/vitamin D supplementation can be used in children for preventing caries in the primary dentition.

Keywords: Birth cohort study; Caries prevention; Epidemiology; Fluoride lozenges; Fluoride supplementation; Fluoride tablets; Prevention; Vitamin D supplementation; Vitamin D tablet.