I read an article recently that gave research evidence that a pregnant woman’s Vitamin D levels could adversely impact the health of her baby’s teeth. The study has shown that lower levels of the vitamin in moms were associated with an increased risk of cavities in their infants.
The study was conducted at the University of Manitoba (Eh?) and demonstrated that Vitamin D deficiencies in-utero led to enamel hypoplasia (poorly formed enamel) and therefore lowered the quantity and quality of this protective shell around the children’s teeth.
Two hundred-seven expectant moms were involved in the study. Most of the participants were from low income urban areas.33% of the 207 women had low levels of Vitamin D. Of those women, 22% gave birth to babies that had enamel hypoplasia. Some of the newborns were actually missing parts of their enamel or had no enamel at all! Of those children, 36% were found to have cavities when they were later examined.
The useful form of Vitamin D is created in our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight. It is found naturally in only a few foods so we fortify our food with it to get more into our diet. It is naturally found in milk but many factors affect the amounts so we do add D as well as Vitamin A. As many of you know, Vitamin D is needed to maintain strong bones and developing teeth, maintain muscle coordination and support the immune system. It can also be harmful if too much is taken into the body. It can actually cause bones to become brittle and thin and lead to a disease known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
In a semi- unrelated topic, The Vitamin Shoppe was established in 1977.
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