The Association of Vitamin D Levels and Dental Caries in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Most research examining vitamin D and dental caries focuses on children and younger adults. This study investigated the association between vitamin D levels and dental caries in older adults using data from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2016. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 2723 participants aged 65 years and older who completed both dental examinations and serum 25(OH)D tests. Dental caries assessments included the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index and the presence of untreated dental caries. Vitamin D levels were measured as serum 25(OH)D concentrations and categorized as severely deficient (<25 nmol/L), deficient (25-49.9 nmol/L), insufficient (50-74.9 nmol/L), and normal (≥75 nmol/L). Logistic regression and Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between vitamin D levels and dental caries, adjusting for demographic factors. RESULTS: The mean DMFT score was 17.73 ± 8.34, with 35.1% of participants having untreated dental caries. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with a 1.44 times higher likelihood of untreated caries (95% CI: 1.15, 1.81), which weakened after adjustment for demographic factors (adjusted OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.55). Severe vitamin D deficiency correlated with a 1.13 times higher DMFT score (95% CI: 1.06, 1.20), with the association remaining similar after adjustment (adjusted RR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.20). Significant differences in vitamin D levels were observed across gender, race/ethnicity, and country of birth. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the potential importance of adequate vitamin D levels for maintaining dental health among older adults. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of poorer DMFT scores. Public health strategies that include vitamin D screening and supplementation, particularly for high-risk groups, may improve oral health outcomes in the older adult population. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which vitamin D influences dental health and the potential for vitamin D supplementation to reduce the burden of dental caries in older adults.

The Effect of Cycloplegia on Ocular Alignment and AC/A Ratio.

Purpose: The present study sets out to investigate the effect of cyclopentolate-induced cycloplegia on distance and near deviation and the accommodative convergence/accommodation (AC/A) ratio. Methods: This prospective study was performed on 30 subjects. The inclusion criteria included a lack of any active ocular pathology and systemic diseases, no history of ocular surgery, and nonuse of various medications. Refraction, near and distance deviation were measured for all subjects, and the same examinations were repeated after the administration of two drops of cyclopentolate 1% to both eyes. Results: The obtained data from 30 subjects, including 19 males, with a mean age of 22.53 ± 1.74 years were analyzed. The mean ± SD of near deviation in dry and cycloplegic conditions were -6.9 ± 8.1 and +6.4 ± 9.1 prism diopters, respectively, which were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Distance deviation in cycloplegic conditions demonstrated an average difference of 0.8 prism diopters, compared to dry conditions (P < 0.001). AC/A ratios were 4.7 ± 2.5 and 9.7 ± 3.9 (Δ/D) in non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic conditions, respectively, which was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). The multiple regression indicated that among all under study variables, refraction (B coefficient: -2.4; P < 0.001) and near pre-cycloplegic deviation (B coefficient: 0.56; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with post-cycloplegic near deviation. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that cycloplegia causes a considerable esophoric shift in near deviation and a negligible esophoric shift in distance deviation. As a result, the AC/A ratio demonstrated a significant increase due to unequal changes in near and distance deviation.