Reported symptoms and clinical findings in relation to serum cobalamin, folate, methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine among elderly Swedes: a population‐based study

Do we need to reconsider the desirable blood level of vitamin B12?

“…A study in 161 community elderly from Sweden [10] reported that there was no increase in the prevalence of most of the typical vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms in those with raised tHcy or MMA levels, which is consistent with the concept of SCCD. The only correlation was between raised tHcy and an increase in tongue mucosa atrophy and mouth angle stomatitis.…”

Oral mucosal lesions in older people: relation to salivary secretion, systemic diseases and medications

“…In line with previous observations, we found that atrophic tongue and fissured tongue were associated low salivary flow rates, in particular with low unstimulated whole salivary flow rates (Kullaa‐Mikkonen and Järvinen, ; Järvinen et al , ). Atrophy of the filiform tongue papillae may be a clinical sign of nutritional deficiency (Björkegren and Svärdsudd, ), which is not being recognised by our participants themselves or by their general practitioner. To our knowledge, we are the first to associate low labial salivary flow rates with atrophic tongue and lobulated tongue.…”

Reduced dietary intake of vitamin B12 and folate in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

“…Vitamin B9 (folic acid) is also involved in the formation of co‐enzymes for protein synthesis and erythropoiesis. It has been demonstrated recently that changes in the oral mucosa including glossitis and stomatitis may be the only clinical signs of early deficiency of vitamin B12 or folic acid (22).…”