Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism tied to dental caries, Study reports

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism does not seem to have a role in the incidence of dental caries in the studied population; however, it may have a role in the severity of the caries process, suggest a study published in the Indian Journal of Dental Research.

GB Protyusha and B Sivapatha Sundharam from the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, MAHER University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India aimed to analyze the association between the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism and dental caries.

The authors also compared the risk of dental caries between individuals with homozygous (tt and TT) genotype and heterozygous (Tt) genotype. Further, this study also aimed to compare the vitamin D gene polymorphism by gender.

The investigators included a total of 196 subjects were selected based on their decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index according to the WHO guidelines (1997), and were divided into two groups based on caries experience. The case group was further classified into low and high caries groups.

The saliva samples were collected, DNA was extracted, and Vitamin D receptor Taq1 (T/C) gene polymorphism was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction–based restriction fragment length polymorphism and visualized under 2% agarose gel.

The study revealed that there was no significant difference in the vitamin D receptor Taq1 gene polymorphism and dental caries between the case and control group.

However, further stratification showed a statistically significant difference based on caries experience in the study group. The heterozygous mutant genotype (Tt) was associated with a higher caries experience (62.1%) (P = 0.008) with the frequency of 't' allele being 77% as compared to 'T' allele (63.6%) in the high caries group.

As a result, the authors concluded that the vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism does not seem to have a role in the incidence of dental caries in the studied population; however, it may have a role in the severity of the caries process.

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Protyusha G B, Sundharam B S. Analysis of the association between polymorphisms in Vitamin D receptor gene and dental caries. Indian J Dent Res 2021;32:3-7