Journal of Isfahan Dental School

Association between Serum Vitamin D levels and the Prevalence of Severe Early Childhood Caries in Children under Six Years Old: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Document Type : مقاله‌های مروری

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Community Oral Health, Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Dental Materials Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences,Isfahan, Iran

2 Graduate Student, Dental Students Research Committee, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and the prevalence of severe early childhood caries(S-ECC) in children under six years old.
Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Inclusion criteria encompassed case-control studies published between 2012 and 2023; caries outcomes expressed as prevalence of S-ECC among children under 6; and vitamin D levels assessed by laboratory analysis. Two authors selected studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias independently. The quality of the studies was also assessed according to STROBE checklist. Selected studies were included in the meta-analysis.
Results: Among the 235 identified studies, 10 studies were finally included in the meta-analysis, Meta-analysis results revealed a significant association between lower serum vitamin D levels and higher prevalence of S-ECC in children under six years old (mean difference: 12.73 nmol/L, CI: [-17.10, -8.35]).which indicates the existence of a relationship between low levels of vitamin D and the occurrence of S-ECC in children.
Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggest a significant association between lower serum vitamin D levels and higher prevalence of S-ECC in young children. However, the cross-sectional nature of included studies and variations in methodologies highlight the need for further research to establish causality definitively. These findings underscore the importance of considering serum vitamin D levels in pediatric dental health strategies and advocate for more robust study designs in future research.
Key words: Dental caries; Vitamin D; Children; Preventive dentistry; Severe early childhood caries.

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Journal of Isfahan Dental School
Volume 20, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
October 2024
Pages 253-264