Background We previously reported in a cross-sectional study that patients who were in periodontal maintenance programs and were taking vitamin D and calcium supplementation had a trend for better periodontal health compared with patients not taking supplementation. The objective of the present study was to determine, for the same group of subjects, whether there was a difference in periodontal health over a one–year period. Methods Fifty-one patients enrolled in maintenance programs from two dental clinics were recruited. Twenty-three were taking vitamin D (≥400 international units/day) and calcium (≥1000mg/day) supplementation, and twenty-eight were not taking supplementation. All subjects had ≥2 interproximal sites with ≥3 mm clinical attachment loss. For mandibular-posterior teeth, these clinical parameters were recorded: gingival index, plaque index, probing depth, attachment loss, bleeding upon probing, calculus index and furcation involvement. Photostimulable-phosphor, posterior bitewing radiographs were taken to assess alveolar bone. Daily vitamin D and calcium intakes were estimated by nutritional analysis. Data were collected at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results Clinical parameters improved with time in both groups (p<0.01). When clinical measures were considered collectively, the results were borderline significant at baseline (p=0.061), significant at 6 months (p=0.049) but not significant at 12 months (p=0.114). After adjusting for covariates, the effect of supplements was significant at baseline (p=0.037), borderline at 6 months (p=0.058) and not significant at 12 months (p=0.142) Conclusion Calcium and vitamin D supplementation has a modest positive effect on periodontal health, and consistent dental care improves clinical parameters of periodontal disease regardless of such supplements. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation has a modest positive effect on periodontal health, and consistent dental care improves clinical parameters of periodontal disease regardless of such supplements. Our findings raise the possibility that vitamin D, perhaps at higher doses, may positively impact on periodontal disease severity.

Background Low dietary intakes of vitamin D and calcium hasten bone loss and osteoporosis. Because vitamin D metabolites may also alter the inflammatory response and have anti-microbial effects, we studied whether use of vitamin D and calcium supplements affects periodontal disease status. Methods A cohort of 51 subjects receiving periodontal maintenance therapy was recruited from 2 dental clinics. Of these, 23 were taking vitamin D (≥400 international units/day) and calcium (≥1000mg/day) supplementation, and 28 were not taking such supplementation. All subjects had ≥2 interproximal sites with ≥3 mm clinical attachment loss. Daily calcium and vitamin D intakes (from food and supplements) were estimated by nutritional analysis. The following clinical parameters of periodontal disease were recorded for the mandibular posterior teeth: gingival index, probing depth, cementoenamel junction-gingival margin distance (attachment loss), bleeding upon probing, and furcation involvement. Posterior photostimulable-phosphor bitewing radiographs were taken to determine cementoenamel-junction-alveolar-crest distances (alveolar crest height loss). Data were analyzed with a repeated-measures, multivariate analysis of variance. Results Relative to subjects who did not take vitamin D and calcium supplementation, supplement takers had shallower probing depths, fewer bleeding sites, lower gingival index values, fewer furcation involvements, less attachment loss and less alveolar crest height loss. The repeated-measures analysis indicated that collectively these differences for clinical parameters were borderline significant (P=0.08). Conclusion In these subjects receiving periodontal maintenance therapy, there was a trend for better periodontal health with intake of vitamin D and calcium supplementation. More expanded longitudinal studies are required to determine the potential of this relationship.

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