Oral Administration of Vitamin C Prevents Alveolar Bone Resorption Induced by High Dietary Cholesterol in Rats

Background: A high-cholesterol diet stimulates alveolar bone resorption, which may be induced via tissue oxidative damage. Vitamin C reduces tissue oxidative damage by neutralizing free radicals and scavenging hydroxyl radicals, and its antioxidant effect may offer the clinical benefit of preventing alveolar bone resorption in cases of hyperlipidemia. We examined whether vitamin C could suppress alveolar bone resorption in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.

Methods: In this 12-week study, rats were divided into four groups: a control group (fed a regular diet) and three experimental groups (fed a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with 0, 1, or 2 g/l vitamin C). Vitamin C was provided by adding it to the drinking water. The bone mineral density of the alveolar bone was analyzed by microcomputerized tomography. As an index of tissue oxidative damage, the 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine level in the periodontal tissue was determined using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Hyperlipidemia, induced by a high-cholesterol diet, decreased rat alveolar bone density and increased the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase–positive osteoclasts. The expression of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine was upregulated in the periodontal tissues. Intake of vitamin C reduced the effect of a high-cholesterol diet on alveolar bone density and osteoclast differentiation and decreased periodontal 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine expression.

Conclusion: In the rat model, vitamin C suppressed alveolar bone resorption, induced by high dietary cholesterol, by decreasing the oxidative damage of periodontal tissue.