Fazeela Khan-Osborne, a leader in the field of implant and restorative dentistry, has purchased a £2.5k machine to introduce the test as a routine part of patient examinations. This will act as a warning system to protect patients from future bone and muscular concerns.
She has called on all dentists with ageing patients lists to adopt the practice to help maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.
Fazeela, who has been running One-to-One Dental for over 30 years, said, “Vitamin D levels tend to drop in post-menopausal women and as we all get older. This is troubling as it is such an important vitamin for helping you absorb calcium, maintaining bone strength and sustaining immunity and the ability to counteract diseases, such as periodontal disease.
“In terms of dentistry, vitamin D is very helpful for reducing bone resorption and aiding how calcium is absorbed. This is very important for fighting gum disease and infection, and for bone formation around implants.
“We are introducing vitamin D testing routinely from the start of June 2025 for implant patients and those over 50. It will become a standard part of the examination process. It is a simple traffic light test with red, amber, and green levels which can alert you as to whether your vitamin D levels are near the suggested 30-50 nanograms/ mil.”
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a range of health issues, primarily concerning bone health, muscle weakness and fatigue.
Fazeela added, “It is such an easy and common deficiency to fix – it can be easily integrated through diet, sun exposure and nutritional supplements.
“We recommend Vitamin D 3 Cholecalciferol as a daily supplement which has proven results in raising the vitamin levels in the body. It can be incorporated naturally by eating more fish, eggs, cod liver oil and other foods fortified with vitamin D, but we have found that patients are less inclined to sustain this.
“Sun exposure is another easy way in which to improve levels; however, this can be difficult for those with darker skin who tend to go in the sun less, and for elderly people who are more likely to have mobility issues.
“It tends to affect people over the age of 60 and so simply taking their vitamins every day can help prevent problems with bones and muscles and improve overall wellness and health.
“We decided that it was so important to highlight and be aware of in our plight to help fight gum disease and in our implant work where it is fundamental to be able to lay down bone.
“Gum disease is a multi-factorial process where you can lose bone when the teeth become loose. If we can help improve vitamin D levels, maintain bone and fight disease, it will help you to keep your teeth in the long run and make bones stronger.
“I strongly believe that all implant dentists should be doing this. Especially in places with a high elderly population, such as Bournemouth, where there will be a high percentage of patients who will have insufficient vitamin D levels.
“In my Harley-Street practice at least 25% of my patients are over 50, and we specialise in implants, so introducing this testing was a necessary step.”