As we age, vitamin D becomes an even more critical nutrient not only for bone health, but for healthy teeth. A study published in the July 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that evaluated 11,202 subjects 20 years of age or older found that, in both men and women over 50, lack of vitamin D significantly increased risk of periodontal disease, a common chronic inflammatory gum disease that is an important risk factor for tooth loss. Men with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D had a 61% higher risk of periodontal disease. Women with the least vitamin D in their blood had an even higher, 74% increased risk of periodontal disease.

Tufts University researchers, have correlated higher intake of calcium and vitamin D with improved dental health. This study was actually an 'add-on' to a study intended to measure the effect of calcium and vitamin D supplements on hip bone strength, and to see if the benefits to bone density gained by using supplements held over time. To address these questions, 145 healthy adults over age 65 received either a supplement that contained 500 mg calcium and 700 IU vitamin D or an inactive sugar pill, daily, for 3 years. Over the following 2 years, participants could elect to take calcium supplements, although they were not required to do so.

Halfway through the original phase of the study and again at the five-year point, the participants were asked to report the number of teeth lost at some point during the study. The researchers were looking for a connection between intake of calcium and vitamin D and tooth loss. After accounting for other factors - like daily oral care and history of periodontal disease - that can affect tooth loss, they found that those who took calcium and vitamin D supplements for 3 years were about half as likely as others in the study to lose teeth. The same was true for those who continued to consume at least 1000 mg of calcium a day during the 2-year follow-up period.

Research on the potential connection between calcium and vitamin D supplementation and oral bone strength has produced mixed results. But several studies have found a link between low bone mineral density and tooth loss, and studies in animals have demonstrated that an adequate calcium intake can help prevent osteoporosis-like damage to jaw bones. This current study is important because it adds to what scientists know about the connection between nutrition and dental health.