Association of Vitamin D Deficiency with Periodontal Disease Severity Among Adults in Pakistan: A Clinical and Biochemical Cross-Sectional Study
Keywords:
Adults; Biochemical markers; Cross-sectional studies; Pakistan; Periodontal disease; Vitamin D; Vitamin D deficiencyAbstract
Background:
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in immune regulation, bone metabolism, and inflammation control. Deficiency of vitamin D has been associated with increased susceptibility to periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the supporting structures of the teeth. In Pakistan, both vitamin D deficiency and periodontal disease are highly prevalent, yet their interrelationship remains underexplored.
Objective:
To evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of periodontal disease among adults in Pakistan through clinical and biochemical assessments.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to September 2023 at three tertiary care centers in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar. A total of 286 adults aged 20–60 years were recruited and categorized as healthy, gingivitis, or periodontitis based on the 2017 AAP/EFP classification. Periodontal parameters—plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL)—were recorded. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were measured using ELISA. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, applying ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression for associations, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results:
The mean serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower in the periodontitis group (17.8 ± 6.9 ng/mL) compared to gingivitis (24.5 ± 7.6 ng/mL) and healthy controls (31.2 ± 8.3 ng/mL). Vitamin D showed significant inverse correlations with PPD (r = −0.62, p < 0.001) and CAL (r = −0.68, p < 0.001). Regression analysis identified vitamin D as an independent predictor of periodontal severity (β = −0.47, p < 0.001) after controlling for confounders.
Conclusion:
Vitamin D deficiency was strongly associated with increased periodontal disease severity in Pakistani adults. These findings underscore the need for integrating vitamin D assessment and supplementation into periodontal health strategies to improve preventive and therapeutic outcomes.
Keywords:
Adults; Biochemical markers; Cross-sectional studies; Pakistan; Periodontal disease; Vitamin D; Vitamin D deficiency
