In honor of Pediatric Dental Health Month, we celebrate prevention opportunities for young people and as clinicians. Here, let’s take a look at how the use of vitamins along with the mineral nano-hydroxyapatite can help in the formation and maintenance of children’s dentition.
The role of vitamin D
To be clear, vitamin D is not a vitamin. It is thought to be a hormone and works by increasing the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphates. Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is a type of vitamin D produced by the skin upon exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D2, or calciferol, can be obtained from plants, but it is not as effective at raising blood levels of vitamin D as D3.
Vitamin D is required for several bodily functions, including managing calcium levels, supporting healthy bones and the immune system, reducing inflammation, and glucose metabolism. Vitamin D and calcium are necessary for muscle movement and nerve transmission, and these solar rays support sleep and may protect against type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and some forms of cancer.1
The role of sunlight
Sunlight is bright and shining for your health. The process of producing vitamin D in the body begins. When UVB rays hit the skin, they interact with the protein 7-dehydrocholesterol (DHC) and help produce vitamin D3. Unfortunately, due to our lifestyles and jobs, spending more time indoors and protecting our skin from sun damage can result in insufficient sunlight for the production of vitamins.
role of meals
Diet is always important for health, but its contribution in building D3 is small. Many doctors recommend supplements for patients who have low test values or who are at risk. People at higher risk include those who are homebound, older, have dark skin, are obese, have digestive problems, and take certain medications that interfere with vitamin D metabolism. people who are there.2, 3 Between 40 and 60 percent of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient, including pregnant women.Four Hopefully, obstetricians will not only reduce pregnancy complications, but also educate patients about how important D3 is for the formation of the baby’s bones and teeth.Five
Relationship between vitamin D and calcium
Vitamin D plays an important role in helping our body absorb calcium from the intestines. If your child isn’t getting enough vitamin D, it doesn’t matter how much calcium they get. Their bodies will no longer be able to use it properly for healthy bones.
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How can I get my kids to get more vitamin D? Parents can try the vitamin D food route if they’re not exposed to sunlight. Fatty fish, cod liver oil, wild-caught salmon, canned sardines, fresh shiitake mushrooms, and egg yolks all contain vitamin D. However, many of these foods are not favorites of young children. Foods such as milk, orange juice, infant formula, yogurt, butter, cheese, and breakfast cereals are often fortified with vitamin D, which can be very helpful.
Vitamin D and tooth decay
A lack of vitamin D can compromise dental health in young and old people alike. The body manages minerals through calcium balance and the immune system, both of which are regulated by vitamin D.6 Studies have shown that tooth decay was reduced by 49% in people who took vitamin D3, and children who suffered from severe tooth decay in childhood had much lower vitamin D levels than those who did not take vitamin D3.7,8
Vitamin K and dental health
Don’t forget about vitamin D’s friend, vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin discovered by him in 1929, and there are two types.The name of the first discovery was clotting vitamins It comes from the German word meaning clotting, as the vitamin has essential blood-clotting properties. We now call it K1 and it is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale.
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K2 has 10 subtypes and lasts longer than K1. It is found in animal products and fermented foods such as natto, sauerkraut, and some cheeses, and is produced by intestinal bacteria in the large intestine. People with gastrointestinal disorders or chronic conditions such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, or cystic fibrosis may not be able to absorb vitamin K properly.
Calcium absorption and vitamins
K2 has been proven to be as important as vitamin D for dental health, but there is still much to learn. Vitamin D is necessary for proper absorption of calcium, while vitamin K2 directs calcium to the skeleton, preventing it from depositing in the wrong areas.
Taking calcium alone without other nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K can lead to plaque buildup within your coronary arteries. A 2008 study showed that improving children’s vitamin K status over a two-year period resulted in stronger and denser bones.9
Over the past 50 years, vitamin K2 intake by parents and their children has decreased significantly. Low vitamin K conditions occur more frequently in newborns due to both endogenous and exogenous deficiencies.Ten Ongoing clinical trials are testing whether vitamin D3 and K2 supplementation positively impacts the biological process of bone healing.
Oral hygiene recommendations
Preparing for a lifetime of good oral health begins with tooth development. This is an area where pregnant women can be counseled to help their babies develop strong bones, strong teeth, and strong health.
An adult supplement that combines D3 and K2 helps move calcium out of the circulation and into the bones. For children, oral supplements can be difficult, but dentistry has come a long way in helping children obtain strong, healthy dentition. Product options to reduce spoilage risk and build a solid foundation are increasing exponentially. Adding nano hydroxyapatite or xylitol to the products in our home care routine makes a difference.
Keep science in mind when trying new products. Nano hydroxyapatite is an expensive ingredient, and if it is not included in the right amount in the product, its effectiveness may be compromised.
Nano-hydroxyapatite is calcium phosphate, and vitamin D helps the digestive system absorb calcium. Add in K2, which helps activate the proteins needed to get calcium into your teeth and bones, and you have a great combination.
New natural alternatives offer more options for oral health for adults as well as children. The elimination of sodium lauryl sulfate, artificial sweeteners and flavors, and preservatives has given parents more choice, but products must work scientifically. Understanding how calcium gets into teeth and bones is one piece of the puzzle when advising parents.
Editor’s note: This article was published in the January/February 2024 print edition. RDH magazine. Dental hygienists in North America are eligible for a free print subscription. Sign up here.
References
- Van der Rie HJ, de Vries E, Kuberg JW. Regular exposure to sunlight is beneficial to your health. Medited hypothesis. 2016;97:34-37. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2016.10.011
- Cesar O, Carre S, Goyal A, Gibler A. Vitamin D deficiency. Stat Pearl. National Library of Medicine. Updated July 17, 2023. Accessed December 7, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532266/
- Vitamin D deficiency. Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine. Accessed December 7, 2023. https://medlineplus.gov/vitaminddeficiency.html
- Vitamin D and pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association. Accessed October 5, 2023. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/vitamin-d-and-pregnancy/
- Pérez-López FR, Pilz S, Chedraui P. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy: an overview. Curr Opin Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2020;32(5):316-321. doi:10.1097/GCO.0000000000000641
- Botelho J, Machado V, Proenza L, Delgado AS, Mendez JJ. Vitamin D deficiency and oral health: A comprehensive review. nutrients. 2020;12(5):1471. doi:10.3390/nu12051471
- Fujoel PP. Vitamin D and dental caries in controlled clinical trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2013;71(2):88-97. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2012.00544.x
- Schroth RJ, Jeal NS, Kliewer E, Sellers EA. Relationship between vitamin D and severe childhood caries: A pilot study. Int J Vitamin Nutr Res. 2012;82(1):53-62. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000094
- Van Summeren MJ, Van Coeverden SC, Schulgers LJ et al. Vitamin K status is associated with bone mineral content in childhood. Br J Nutr. 2008;100(4):852-858. doi:10.1017/S0007114508921760
- Kozioł-Kozakowska A, Maresz K. Effects of vitamin K2 (menakionone) on children’s health and disease: a review of the literature. The kids. 2022; 9(1):78. doi.10.3390/children9010078
Ann O. Rice, BS, RDH, CDP, FAOSH, After nearly 30 years of clinical practice, he founded Oral Systemic Seminars and is passionate about educating the community about modifiable dementia risk factors and their relationship to dentistry. She is a board-certified dementia specialist, longevity specialist, and AAOSH Fellow, and is also a consultant for the Weill Cornell Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Clinic, FAU, and Atria Institute. Contact Anne at anneorice.com.
