Periodontitis Is Associated with a Low Concentration of Vitamin C in Plasma

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify how concentrations of vitamin C in plasma relate to the serology of periodontitis. The random sample used comprised 431 men, 194 from Finland and 237 from Russia. The plasma vitamin C concentration was determined by o-phtaldialdehyde-fluorometry, and serum immunoglobulin G antibodies to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were determined by a multiserotype enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean plasma vitamin C concentration was higher (P < 0.001) in Finnish subjects (mean ؎ standard deviation, 4.5 ؎ 2.8 mg/liter) than in Russian subjects (1.4 ؎ 1.8 mg/liter). Mean antibody levels to both A. actinomycetemcomitans (4.7 ؎ 3.6 versus 5.2 ؎ 3.1 ELISA units [P ‫؍‬ 0.05]) and P. gingivalis (5.7 ؎ 2.5 versus 7.6 ؎ 2.9 ELISA units [P < 0.001]) were lower in Finnish men than in Russian men. In the combined Finnish and Russian population, the antibody levels to P. gingivalis were negatively correlated with vitamin C concentrations (r ‫؍‬ ؊0.22; P < 0.001); this association remained statistically significant (P ‫؍‬ 0.010) in a linear regression model after adjustment for confounding factors. The proportion of P. gingivalis-seropositive subjects decreased with increasing vitamin C concentrations (P for trend, <0.01), but no trend was seen among A. actinomycetemcomitans-seropositive subjects. In conclusion, P. gingivalis infection is associated with low concentrations of vitamin C in plasma, which may increase colonization of P. gingivalis or disturb the healing of the infected periodontium.

The association of dietary vitamin C intake with periodontitis among Korean adults: Results from KNHANES Ⅳ

“…Our data supports previous studies which found an inverse association between dietary vit C intake and periodontitis [15, 20]. It was speculated that our data also supported other serum or plasma vit c studies which showed a significant inverse association with periodontitis indirectly [11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 30]. Though some clinical studies failed to show effects of oral administration of additional vit C on reducing periodontitis [31–33], they demonstrated that excessive vit C does not have therapeutic benefit for periodontitis while inadequate intake of vit C could be harmful for periodontitis.…”

Vitamin E supplementation modulates gingival crevicular fluid lipid peroxidation and antioxidant levels in patients with orthodontic tooth movement

“…In that study, the lack of ascorbic acid resulted in a cessation of osteogenesis and disorganization of the periodontal ligament. 25,26 Similarly, in the present study, there was found a negative and significant correlation between vitamin C and plaque index. 24 The reduced function of osteoblasts resulted in a decrease in the production of the organic matrix of bone that contains collagen.…”

Vegetable and fruit consumption, education and plasma vitamin C concentration in Russian and Finnish Karelia, 1992–2002

“…Although the consumption of fruit and vegetables is often far from optimal, vitamin C deficiency is rare in Western countries at present. In population risk factor surveys conducted in 1992 and 1997 in the Republic of Karelia in north-western Russia, extremely low plasma vitamin C concentrations were reported among men (2,3) . Plasma vitamin C was measured among a sub-sample of men in the district of Pitkäranta, Republic of Karelia, Russia and in North Karelia, Finland.…”