Report by Artanti Hendriyana and Ismail Cahya Putra
[Unpad Media Channel] An Universitas Padjadjaran Professor at the Faculty of Dentistry, Prof. Dr. Amaliya, drg., M.Sc., revealed that vitamin C plays a big role in periodontal health and the health of the body as a whole. Intake of vitamin C is found to help improve the health of patients with periodontal diseases.
“That is why talks about nutrition, and dietary advice to intake more vitamin C, need to be given out to patients with periodontitis or periodontal diseases,” said Prof. Amaliya in her speech titled “Vitamin C and Periodontal Disease: From Gingivitis to Loose Teeth”.
The speech was delivered at Prof. Amaliya’s appointment ceremony as a new Professor, alongside others. It was held at Grha Sanusi Hardjadinata, Unpad’s Iwa Koesoemasoemantri Campus in Bandung, on Tuesday (2/6/2024).
In the speech, Prof. Amaliya also explained how the periodontium could be described as tissue that surrounds the teeth and supports them on the upper and lower jaws. The structure itself is made up of the gingiva, alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, and cementum.
The periodontium plays various important roles and functions in dental health. These range from providing nutrition through blood vessels, containing nerves allowing for proprioception, holding the teeth in place, absorbing the shock and stress received by the teeth when masticating, protecting the teeth from dangerous stimuli, to granting beauty and aesthetic functions with a coral pink gum making one’s smile look sweet and healthy.
On the other hand, vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a vitamin that is soluble in water. It also functions as an antioxidant.
However, humans inherently can not produce vitamin C on their own. This causes humans to experience deficiencies should they not consume food containing vitamin C.
“Plasma vitamin C levels under 0.2 mg/L, or 11 μmol/L, is an indication of scurvy, symptomized by swollen legs, bleeding gums, loose teeth, malaise, fevers, fatigue, petechiae, dry skin, and bleeding,” she explained.
The research done by Prof. Amaliya also proved the benefits of vitamin C in preventing and treating periodontal diseases. One of her studies observed the effects of supplementing vitamin C for cases of experimental gingivitis in three groups, where group 1 was given common guava, group 2 was given synthetic vitamin C supplements, and group 3 was not given any supplement.
The results of the research showed milder levels of inflammation in group 1 compared to group 2, while group 3 exhibited severe inflammation.
“Our research proved that consuming common guava or vitamin C provides protection against gingivitis, even though the bacteria were allowed to accumulate on the surface of the teeth,” explained Prof. Amaliya.
Other studies by Prof. Amaliya analyzed the adult population of the Srikandi tea plantation in West Java. In the study, levels of vitamin C were lower in periodontitis sufferers compared to those with healthy periodontia.
“In other words, the lower the vitamin C levels in the blood are, the more severe the damage is on the periodontium,” explained Prof. Amaliya.
Furthermore, the experimental studies carried out also revealed that, aside from supporting periodontal health, vitamin C also could boost systemic health. (arm/ICP)*
