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. 2024 Jun;74(3):500-509.
doi: 10.1016/j.identj.2024.03.005. Epub 2024 Apr 1.

Associations of Serum Vitamin D With Dental Caries and Periodontitis: The HUNT Study

Ernest Obeng Asante  1 , Yue Chen  2 , Rannveig Sakshaug Eldholm  3 , Hedda Høvik  4 , Marit Kolberg  4 , Håvard Kjesbu Skjellegrind  5 , Roya Torabi-Gaarden  4 , Xiao-Mei Mai  6 , Yi-Qian Sun  7
Affiliations

Associations of Serum Vitamin D With Dental Caries and Periodontitis: The HUNT Study

Ernest Obeng Asante et al. Int Dent J. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationships of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with dental caries and periodontitis in a general Norwegian adult population.

Methods: We analysed a subsample of 1605 participants from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in Norway that had serum 25(OH)D levels measured in HUNT3 (2006-08) and oral health assessed in the HUNT4 Oral Health Study (2017-19). Negative binomial and Poisson regression models were used to estimate the ratios of means (RMs; for count oral outcomes) and prevalence ratios (PRs; for dichotomous oral outcomes).

Results: Serum 25(OH)D was inversely associated with the number of decayed teeth in a dose-response gradient (<30.0 nmol/L: RM 1.41, 95% CI 1.07-1.85; 30.0-49.9 nmol/L: 1.14, 0.98-1.32 and ≥75.0 nmol/L: 0.84, 0.67-1.04, as compared to the 50.0-74.9 nmol/L group, P for trend <.001). Each 25 nmol/L decrease in 25(OH)D level was associated with a 15% (RM 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.26) increase in the mean number of decayed teeth. Serum 25(OH)D <30.0 nmol/L was associated with a 35% higher prevalence of severe periodontitis (PR 1.35, 95% CI 1.00-1.83). No association was observed between 25(OH)D and the number of natural teeth.

Conclusion: The present study suggested that serum 25(OH)D level had an inverse and dose-response association with the number of decayed teeth, and serum 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L was associated with a higher prevalence of severe periodontitis in this Norwegian adult population.

Keywords: 25(OH)D; Dental caries; HUNT study; Periodontitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest None disclosed.

Figures

Figure
Figure
Flow chart of selection criteria for the analysis cohort of 1605 participants with information on serum 25(OH)D in HUNT3 and oral variables in the HUNT4 Oral Health Study. HUNT, Trøndelag Health Study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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