Link between maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy and offspring dental health problems

Insufficient maternal serum vitamin D levels at mid-pregnancy were linked with a higher number of impacted teeth among children with molar incisor hypomineralisation at 7-9 years of age.

A longitudinal study was carried out to explore correlations between hypomineralised second primary molars (HSPM) and molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) among children and the level of maternal vitamin D during pregnancy.

Data from 176 children (7-9 years of age) and mother pairs were collected. To evaluate pregnancy exercise programme, mothers were primarily enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Besides the seven-year follow-up, children were invited to a dental assessment.

In gestational weeks 18-22 and 32-36, the maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D categorized as sufficient (≥ 50 nmol/l) and insufficient (< 50 nmol/l) was the exposure variable. Using negative binomial hurdle models, the potential correlations between the MIH or HSPM and exposure variables were assessed.

Children of mothers with the lowest serum vitamin D levels during pregnancy were found to be mostly affected by MIH and HSPM.  Notably, 22% and 32% of children had a minimum of 1 tooth with HSPM or MIH, respectively. A profound link was observed between insufficient maternal vitamin D estimated in gestational weeks 18-22 and the number of impacted teeth among those with MIH at 7-9 years (adjusted risk ratio = 1.82).

Among children with molar incisor hypomineralisation at 7-9 yrs of age, an association was found between unfavourable maternal serum vitamin D at mid-pregnancy and a greater number of impacted teeth. Hence, insufficient levels of maternal vitamin D in pregnancy may produce a disadvantageous basis for permanent tooth development.