One‐Year Effects of Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation on Chronic Periodontitis

Abstract

Background We previously reported in a cross-sectional study that patients who were in periodontal maintenance programs and were taking vitamin D and calcium supplementation had a trend for better periodontal health compared with patients not taking supplementation. The objective of the present study was to determine, for the same group of subjects, whether there was a difference in periodontal health over a one–year period. Methods Fifty-one patients enrolled in maintenance programs from two dental clinics were recruited. Twenty-three were taking vitamin D (≥400 international units/day) and calcium (≥1000mg/day) supplementation, and twenty-eight were not taking supplementation. All subjects had ≥2 interproximal sites with ≥3 mm clinical attachment loss. For mandibular-posterior teeth, these clinical parameters were recorded: gingival index, plaque index, probing depth, attachment loss, bleeding upon probing, calculus index and furcation involvement. Photostimulable-phosphor, posterior bitewing radiographs were taken to assess alveolar bone. Daily vitamin D and calcium intakes were estimated by nutritional analysis. Data were collected at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results Clinical parameters improved with time in both groups (p<0.01). When clinical measures were considered collectively, the results were borderline significant at baseline (p=0.061), significant at 6 months (p=0.049) but not significant at 12 months (p=0.114). After adjusting for covariates, the effect of supplements was significant at baseline (p=0.037), borderline at 6 months (p=0.058) and not significant at 12 months (p=0.142) Conclusion Calcium and vitamin D supplementation has a modest positive effect on periodontal health, and consistent dental care improves clinical parameters of periodontal disease regardless of such supplements. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation has a modest positive effect on periodontal health, and consistent dental care improves clinical parameters of periodontal disease regardless of such supplements. Our findings raise the possibility that vitamin D, perhaps at higher doses, may positively impact on periodontal disease severity.

Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and its association with oral lesions in HIV-infected Brazilian adults

“…CPP and vitamin D levels were not related in the present sample of HIV-infected patients, similar to the fi ndings in healthy individuals of Garcia et al (12) , who did not fi nd any statistically signifi cant relationship between vitamin D levels and periodontal health.…”

“…Furthermore, patients supplemented with calcium and vitamin D have better periodontal health than those who are not (11) (12) .…”

“…To standardize the sampled data, the results from three examiners were calibrated during theoretical (4 hours) and practical (12 All statistical tests were performed using SPSS software, version 19.0 (IBM, São Paulo, SP, Brazil). Bivariate analyses to compare socio-demographic characteristics, duration of exposure to HIV, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) use, efavirenz use, smoking, absolute CD4+ T lymphocyte levels, plasma HIV viral load, and CPP based on hypovitaminosis D were conducted using Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, or Mann-Whitney tests, as appropriate.…”

The Potential Role of Systemic Calcium in Periodontal Disease

“…28 As a follow up to this study, the group tried to determine if such differences persisted over one year in the same study population. 29 They looked at plaque index, gingival index, calculus index probing depth, Cementoenamel junction-gingival margin distance (CEJ-GM attachment loss), bleeding upon probing and furcation involvement and found that all the clinical parameters were worse in the non-takers at baseline and mostly remained worse throughout the study. However, adjusting for 4 covariates (race, smoking, alcohol and gender), the results changed marginally with the effect of taking the supplements significant at baseline, decreasing to borderline at 6 months and then decreasing again to not significant at 12 months.…”

“…While data from this pilot study cannot support/refute recommendation for higher doses of vitamin D supplementation, it may imply that vitamin D supplements may reduce the severity of periodontal disease if used in doses higher than those currently in supplements, supporting the need for more randomized clinical trials on the effects of vitamin D on periodontitis. 29 …”