Vitamin B12 deficiency: Lesser-known warning symptom not to ignore found in your mouth

Vitamin B12 is needed for DNA synthesis, neurodevelopment, and nervous system function. Millions of people lack in the vitamin and are clueless to the damaging effects this can cause. The mouth holds many clues to one’s health including your B12 levels. What to spot to help treat your low B12 levels before it may lead to tooth loss?

Having a vitamin B12 deficiency can increase your risk of a severe form of gum disease called periodontitis.

Researchers are still unsure of exactly why a vitamin B12 deficiency increases the risk of the mouth condition.

However, it is well-known that vitamin B12 is integral for healthy blood cells and wound healing.

Therefore, lacking in the essential vitamin plays a role in how it can contribute to gum disease.

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In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, a team of researchers from the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom investigated vitamin B12’s role in oral health well.

The study followed 1,648 participants and measured their serum vitamin B12 by chemiluminescent immunoassay.

The researchers also measured probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss to reflect periodontal status on a half-mouth basis at each survey cycle.

According to the data, there is an inverse association with baseline vitamin B12 and changes in mean pocket depth, mean clinical attachment loss, and risk ratios of tooth loss over time.

Subjects in the lowest vitamin B12 quartile had a 0.10 mm greater increase in mean pocket depth, a 0.23 mm greater increase in mean clinical attachment loss, and a relative risk of 1.57 for tooth loss compared to subjects in the highest quartile.

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What is pocket depth in the mouth?

Pocket depth is the distance between a person’s gum tissue and their teeth which starts to widen in depth and is a major sign of gum disease.

Gum disease can lead to deeper spaces around the teeth called periodontal pockets, and if untreated, these gum pockets could lead to tooth loss.

If experiencing any warning signs of gum disease, such as bad breath, bleeding, red and swollen gums, or receding gum tissue, it’s imperative to have your dental professional examine your mouth and to top up your B12 levels.

Other symptoms warning of low B12 levels include:

• A pale yellow tinge to your skin
• Pins and needles 
• Changes in the way that you walk and move around
• Changes in the way you think, feel and behave
• A decline in your mental abilities, such as memory, understanding and judgement.
• The condition can also lead to symptoms of anaemia, which can include:
• Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• Lack of energy (lethargy)
• Breathlessness
• Feeling faint
• Headaches
• Pale skin
• Noticeable heartbeats (palpitations).