When we diagnose caries in individuals with good oral hygiene, the first question they ask is that “I attach great importance to oral health. I brush my teeth and use mouthwash every day. So, how can caries occur now? ” . We answered ”it would be worse if you did not care about your dental health.”
Tooth decay can occur for many reasons, from diet to the quality of your saliva. There are many publications on this subject. When we read these publications, we see that vitamin D has a very important role in the prevention of dental caries.
We started to hear the use of vitamin D more with the Covid-19 pandemic. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Although the sun level is high, its deficiency is frequently seen in our country.
Pregnant individuals with vitamin D deficiency are more susceptible to caries in their children due to inadequate production of enamel tissue. Mothers with vitamin D deficiency should not panic immediately. Adequate vitamin D levels until the age of 13 reduce the risk of caries by 47%.
After the age of thirteen, the incidence of vitamin D deficiency, gingival and peri-implant diseases increases. For this reason, we should have our vitamin D levels tested and we should use vitamin D supplements under the supervision of a doctor.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatima Betül Baştürk
