Micronutrients are Vitamins and Minerals required by the body in very small amounts. Despite their meagre requirement, their deficiency in the body can have a negative impact. With oral cavity being one of the first sites where features of micronutrient deficiency become apparent, dental practitioners play an important role in early diagnosis.
Here is a list of some “macroscopic” oral changes in micronutrient deficiency.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin | Role | Signs/symptoms | |
| B complex | Cell metabolism, DNA synthesis, Nerve function | RAS, glossitis, angular cheilitis, xerostomia, halitosis, Burning mouth syndrome, paraesthesia, | |
| C | collagen synthesis, protein metabolism and immune function. | scurvy (gingival bleeding, swelling, poor wound healing and petechiae) | |
| Vitamin D and Calcium | Mineralization of bone and teeth | Enamel and dentin defects, secondary hyperparathyroidism | |
| Vitamin K | Precursor for coagulating factors | Prolonged and/or excessive bleeding following dental extraction or oral surgery | |
| Iron | formation of haemoglobin and oxygen transport, growth and development, as well as immune function | RAS, angular cheilitis, atrophic glossitis, mucosal pallor and stomatitis | |
| Zinc | DNA synthesis, tissue repair, immunity | Taste disturbance (dysgeusia), impaired wound healing following oral surgery or injury and increased risk of infection, RAS, BMS, atrophic glossitis and xerostomia |
The oral cavity truly serves as a window to overall health. As dental practitioners, are we able to recognize these early warning signs early enough to make a difference?
MBH/DB