It’s impossible to pick up a magazine or watch a film without finding a set of sparkling white teeth shining at us. It’s clear: we live in a world where having good teeth is seen as something very important. And it’s not just about the aesthetics either. Issues with the teeth affect wellness and wellbeing all across the world, with tooth decay being one of the largest problems.
But there is some good news for those interested in tooth health. A new review of existing studies, published in Nutrition Reviews, has found that vitamin D could have a role in preventing dental caries, which is also known as tooth decay. The review looked at 24 trials, with the total number of subjects being over 3,000.
It’s been known for a long time that correct levels of vitamin D play a very important role in bone health, but it had not been previously established that it is also a key factor in the health of teeth as well. While there is still some disagreement in terms of the exact role the vitamin plays in preventing tooth decay, the evidence now suggests that a vitamin D supplement given to children could significantly improve the health of their teeth.
The research comes at a time when levels of vitamin D are generally decreasing across many populations. It is also notable that levels of tooth decay in young children are rising. While the link may not be direct, it is clear that improving levels of vitamin D in children could be very important for the future of their wellbeing.
Of course the original trials that were being reviewed were not specifically set up to test whether vitamin D could prevent tooth decay and as such further studies need to be undertaken to be sure of the link. For now, however, it seems likely that vitamin D can be very important for the dental health of children.
Comments are closed.