The effect of vitamin d supplementation on periodontal health — a systematic review
Originally at nature.com
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
A new systematic review and meta-analysis finds vitamin D supplementation improves periodontal parameters, giving general dentists and periodontists a low-cost, evidence-based adjunct to reduce probing depths and gingival inflammation in deficient patients.
Key points
- Meta-analysis pooled RCTs showing statistically significant reductions in probing depth (mean difference −0.34 mm) and gingival index versus placebo in patients with baseline 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL.
- Benefit was largest in non-surgical periodontal therapy cohorts, suggesting practices should screen vitamin D status before SRP and consider supplementation referrals or co-management with physicians.
- No significant effect on bleeding on probing or attachment loss was detected, tempering expectations that vitamin D alone can replace mechanical debridement.
- Review calls for future trials with standardized dosing (≥2,000 IU/day) and 6-month follow-up to confirm long-term clinical relevance in private practice.
Who should care
Read the original on Nature subjects: Dentistry
Full reporting and any paywall content live on nature.com. We summarize and score; we do not republish.
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