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Babies
born to women with low levels
of vitamin D during pregnancy
may be at increased risk for
tooth enamel defects and early
childhood tooth decay, a Canadian
study finds.
Researchers
at the University of Manitoba
analyzed the vitamin D levels
of 206 women in their second
trimester of pregnancy and found
only 21 (10.5 percent) of the
women had adequate vitamin D
levels. The women's levels of
vitamin D were related to the
frequency of milk consumption
and prenatal vitamin use.
The
researchers also examined 135
infants and found that 21.6
percent of them had enamel defects
and 33.6 percent had early childhood
tooth decay. Mothers of infants
with enamel defects had lower,
but not significantly different,
mean vitamin D concentrations
during pregnancy than mothers
of infants without enamel defects.
Mothers
of infants with early childhood
tooth decay had significantly
lower vitamin D levels than
mothers of cavity-free infants.
Infants with enamel defects
were significantly more likely
to have early childhood tooth
decay, the researchers said.
The
study, expected to be presented
July 4 at the General Session
of the International Association
for Dental Research, in Toronto,
is the first to show that pregnant
women's vitamin D levels may
affect the dental health of
their infants.
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