Optimal Vitamin D Prevents Gingival Inflammation

Richard Maurer, ND

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums, while periodontitis is a deeper and more serious inflammation of both the gingivae and tissue that surrounds and supports the teeth. Both common conditions are often progressive and can eventually result in loss of the underlying bone that supports the teeth. After age 30, periodontal disease is the major cause of tooth loss.

We can look at past scientific literature and find ample reason to use nutritional therapies for gingival inflammation. For example, vitamin C status is directly related to periodontal health (J Periodontol. 1986 Aug;57 (8):480-5). Folic acid both topically and orally has a long-proven track record of anti-inflammatory effects in periodontal disease (J Periodontol. 1976 Nov;47(11):667-8). Now vitamin D enters the scene for gingival and periodontal health.

The researchers in this study evaluated over 77,000 teeth from 6700 subjects; it is no surprise that their “P value” indicates strong statistical significance. Essentially the people with the highest quintile of serum vitamin D were substantially less likely to bleed on gingival probing than the people in the lowest quintile of serum vitamin D status. Unlike studies that only provide evidence at the extremes of the subject pool, researchers found a linear association of periodontal bleeding and serum vitamin D status. Results were constant across racial or ethnic groups, and were similar among men and women as well as among users and nonusers of vitamin and mineral supplements. The latter implies that just taking a multiple vitamin mineral is inadequate assurance that vitamin D status is optimal.

We know that too little vitamin D contributes to many degenerative diseases beyond periodontal disease, but excess vitamin D is equally undesirable. Because of the varied ethnicities, latitudes and lifestyles in the United States, the only way to safely use vitamin D is test and retest as the researchers have done. In this study, Vitamin D - 25(OH)D, was measured by Radio Immunoassay and reference ranges were 22.5-94 nmol/L.

Dietrich,T et. al. Association between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and gingival inflammation. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Sep;82(3):575-80.

The author of this review (Dr. Maurer) practices in Maine, near the 45th parallel. Nutritional recommendations are different from September-March compared to April-August. Blood tests offer a relatively inexpensive way to accurately supplement vitamin D in patients with gingival inflammation as well as numerous other inflammatory and degenerative conditions.