Vitamin D and Temporomandibular Disorders: What Do We Know So Far?
Nutrients 2021, 13(4), 1286; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041286
by Andreea Kui 1OrcID,Smaranda Buduru 1,Anca Labunet 2,*OrcID,Silvia Balhuc 1 andMarius Negucioiu 1
- 1 Prosthodontics Department, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj Napoca, Romania
- 2 Dental Materials Department, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj Napoca, Romania
Background and aims. Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin with the aid of ultraviolet-B radiation, playing a variety of roles in the body. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a group of pathological conditions involving the temporomandibular joints as well as the masticatory muscles and other surrounding tissues. In the present narrative review, we investigated the potential role of vitamin D in the etiology of temporomandibular disorders in order to determine whether the current knowledge supports 25-hidroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) supplementation in temporomandibular disorders associated with insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D.
Methods. A literature research was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases, and a total of 10 articles were included for analysis.
Results. Among the observational studies published to date, investigating the role for vitamin D in the etiology of TMDs, six of them suggest that there is a connection between the two aspects. In this context, patients suffering from TMD, with deficient levels of vitamin D (<30 ng/mL), are most likely to benefit from supplementation, whereas individuals with vitamin D level >50ng/mL probably have little benefit from supplementation.
Conclusion. Vitamin D might be a safe, simple, and potentially beneficial way to prevent TMDs or to reduce pain; however, more randomized and placebo-controlled trials are required before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
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“The prevalence of TMDs among the general population is considered to be 5%"
"There are studies suggesting that approximately 5%–60% of the population experience at least one of the signs of TMDs”
Possible pathways of interconnection between temporomandibular disorders and low levels of vitamin D
A—VDR gene polymorphism,
B—inflammatory processes,
C—neuroprotective function,
D—calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) metabolism