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. 2020 Sep 4;18(4):653-667.
doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.a45089.

Prenatal or Childhood Serum Levels of Vitamin D and Dental Caries in Paediatric Patients: A Systematic Review

Cátia Carvalho Silva, Rita Mendes, Maria da Conceição Manso, Sandra Gavinha, Paulo Melo

Prenatal or Childhood Serum Levels of Vitamin D and Dental Caries in Paediatric Patients: A Systematic Review

Cátia Carvalho Silva et al. Oral Health Prev Dent. .

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the association between low prenatal or childhood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) and dental caries experience in children.

Materials and methods: PubMed, B-On, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. The inclusion criteria were randomised controlled trials, cohort and cross-sectional studies published between 1998 and 2019; caries outcomes expressed as prevalence or based on the decayed missing and filled index for primary and permanent teeth/surfaces; and vitamin D levels assessed by laboratory analysis. Two authors independently selected studies, collected data, and assessed risk of bias. The quality of the studies was also assessed. A narrative synthesis of the studies was performed without quantitative pooling of data due to clinical and methodological heterogeneity.

Results: Out of 399 studies identified, 13 were included in the data synthesis. Even though many of the included studies had a cross-sectional design, 11 were considered high quality. The studies indicated that vitamin D has an important role in caries experience, but also revealed that vitamin D levels equal to or above 75 nmol/l seem to be more closely related to caries experience than the reference value of the Institute of Medicine.

Conclusion: Evidence of an association exists between low 25(OH) D levels (<75 nmol/l) and caries experience in children. Hence, low vitamin D levels should be considered a potential factor associated with caries in children. Clinicians should be aware that good prenatal nutrition and early childhood diet might influence caries experience.

Keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; children; dental caries; preventive dentistry; vitamin D.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Risk of bias analysis of randomised controlled trials. (+): low risk of bias; (-): high risk of bias; (?): unclear risk of bias.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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