ABSTRACT
Introduction: Vitamin D3 insufficiency has become a severe health problem that affects more than one billion people worldwide. Maternal vitamin D3 deficiency can induce dentin defects during tooth development.
Objectives: To evaluate the biological effect of maternal vitamin D3 deficiency on dentinogenesis of the rat offspring.
Materials and Methods: Twelve female Albino rats were used. Rats were divided randomly into two equal groups. In the control group, rats were fed normal balanced diet and exposed to the normal light/dark cycle. In the study group, rats were housed in incandescent light devoid of ultraviolet B-light and fed a diet free of vitamin D3.Vitamin D3 level in the serum was measured every two weeks till reached vitamin D3 deficiency. Female rats were mated to be pregnant. At the fourth day after labor, two pups were taken from the litter of each mother. The dentinogenesis of the developing mandibular first molars was examined by the light and transmission electron microscope and evaluated by histomorphometric analysis.
Results: Vitamin D3 deficiency harmfully affected odontoblast differentiation, dentin formation and mineralization.
Conclusion: Maternal vitamin D3 deficiency during tooth development has an adverse effect on odontoblast differentiation, dentin formation and mineralization.
Keywords: vitamin D3, dentinogenesis, odontoblast.
Running title: Effect of maternal vitamin D3 deficiency on dentinogenesis.