title: Higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy is associated with reduced risk of dental caries in young Japanese children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The intrauterine environment, including maternal nutrition status, may affect the development, formation, and mineralization of children's teeth. We assessed the relationship between self-reported maternal dietary vitamin D intake during pregnancy and the risk of dental caries among young Japanese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is based on a prospective analysis of 1210 Japanese mother-child pairs. Information on maternal intake during pregnancy was collected using a validated diet history questionnaire. Data on oral examination at 36-46 months of age were obtained from the mothers, who transcribed the information from their maternal and child health handbooks to our self-administered questionnaire. Children were classified as having dental caries if one or more primary teeth had decayed or had been filled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the lowest quartile of maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy, adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for quartiles 2, 3, and 4 were 1.06 (0.72-1.56), 0.53 (0.34-0.81), and 0.67 (0.44-1.02), respectively (P for trend = .01). When maternal vitamin D intake was treated as a continuous variable, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 0.94 (0.89-0.995).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk of dental caries in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan. Electronic address: tanaka.keiko.jn@ehime-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Total Medical Support Center, Ehime University Hospital, Toon, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hitsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyatake
authors.affiliation: Health Tourism Research Center, Graduate School of Tourism Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Caries; Diet; Prospective studies; Vitamin D