Mum's vitamin D levels during pregnancy may affect baby's dental health
5 Jul 2008, 1150 Hrs

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Washington, July 5 (ANI): A woman's low vitamin D levels during pregnancy may affect her baby's dental health, says a new research.

According to the study, low maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy may affect primary tooth calcification, leading to enamel defects, which are a risk factor for early-childhood tooth decay.

Two hundred six pregnant women in their second trimester participated in the study.

Only 21 women were found to have adequate vitamin D levels. Vitamin D concentrations were related to the frequency of milk consumption and pre-natal vitamin use. The investigators examined 135 infants at 16.1 ± 7.4 months of age, and found that 21.6 percent of them had enamel defects, while 33.6 percent had early-childhood tooth decay. Mothers of children with enamel defects had lower, but not significantly different, mean vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy than those of children without defects.

However, mothers of children with early-childhood tooth decay had significantly lower vitamin D levels than those whose children were cavity-free. Infants with enamel defects were significantly more likely to have early-childhood tooth decay.

This is the first study to show that maternal vitamin D levels may have an influence on primary teeth and the development of early-childhood tooth decay.

The study has been presented at the 86th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research. (ANI)