Vitamin D Target Genes in Dental Health

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D is an important molecule which plays pivotal role in overall human health and metabolism. This vitamin acts as both vitamin as well as hormone, and thus, dual nature of this vitamin makes it as one of the important chemicals required for the overall health, harmonious growth, and development. Recently, this vitamin is gaining large attention in dentistry, and it is becoming master regulator of dental health. It is well studied that vitamin D plays major role in calcium absorption for bone and teeth mineralisation, it acts as odontogenic inducer of differentiation of human dental pulp cells and in tooth development. STUDY SELECTION, DATA, AND SOURCES: Vitamin D regulates various signalling pathways in dental network and plays a beneficial role. Synthesis of vitamin D takes place in multiple steps in human body. The natural form of vitamin D is fat soluble in nature and is produced in the skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol molecules. Natural Sunlight through its ultraviolet B (UVB) energy converts the precursor7-dehydrocholesterol molecules to vitamin D3. Advanced and unhealthy lifestyle of modern times has led to the deficiency of vitamin D and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Deficiency of vitamin D also leads to various dental problems including dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. In this short review, we are discussing the role of vitamin D and importance of its target genes in dental health. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Vitamin D has a major role in managing the oral health this article updates the clinician with the different genes which are responsible for the regulation of vitamin D in different tissues.