Vitamin K2: What Is Its Relationship with Periodontitis?
Frequent gingival bleeding, tooth sensitivity during brushing, and persistent halitosis may indicate periodontitis rather than simple gingivitis.
Periodontitis is a disease that gradually destroys not only the gums but also the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Recent studies have reported that patients with periodontitis tend to have lower levels of vitamin K2.
So how exactly is vitamin K2 related to gum health?
Periodontitis is a disease that gradually destroys not only the gums but also the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Recent studies have reported that patients with periodontitis tend to have lower levels of vitamin K2.
So how exactly is vitamin K2 related to gum health?
Serum Vitamin K2 Levels According to Periodontal Status
Evidence suggests that serum vitamin K2 levels are not merely associated with the presence or absence of periodontitis, but vary significantly according to disease Status.
- Severity of periodontitis: Periodontitis is classified into stages based on the extent of periodontal tissue and alveolar bone destruction. Studies have demonstrated that serum vitamin K2 levels progressively decrease as the severity of periodontitis increases.
- Rate of disease progression: Patients with rapidly progressing periodontitis have been shown to exhibit lower vitamin K2 levels compared with those whose disease progresses more slowly.
- Extent of disease distribution: Generalized periodontitis affecting the majority of the dentition is associated with lower serum vitamin K2 levels than localized periodontitis confined to a limited number of teeth.
Inverse Association Between VK2 Serum Levels and Clinical Parameters of Periodontitis
Further analysis of periodontitis patients revealed that lower serum vitamin K2 levels were consistently associated with poorer periodontal parameters. Significant inverse correlations were observed across eight clinical indicators, including increased gingival inflammation, higher bleeding on probing, and greater alveolar bone loss.
🦷 Why Is Vitamin K2 Important?
The core issue in periodontitis is not only gum inflammation but also the gradual destruction of the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Vitamin K2 helps calcium bind properly to the alveolar bone, maintaining bone structure. When vitamin K2 is deficient, the alveolar bone may weaken, potentially accelerating damage to periodontal tissues.
These findings suggest that vitamin K2 may play an equally important role in alveolar bone and periodontal health as it does in the skeletal system overall.
These findings suggest that vitamin K2 may play an equally important role in alveolar bone and periodontal health as it does in the skeletal system overall.
<References>
- A Case Control Study Evaluating the Relationship between Vitamin K2 Serum Level and Periodontitis
Writing date: 2026-01-19