Assessment of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Calcium Levels in Dental Clinic Attendees in Sabratha City, Libya

Abstract

Vitamin D plays a central role in calcium regulation and oral health, yet deficiency remains widespread in many regions, including North Africa, despite abundant sunlight. Limited data are available regarding vitamin D status among dental patients in Libya. This study aimed to assess serum vitamin D and calcium levels among patients attending a dental clinic in Sabratha City, Libya, and to examine differences by age, gender, and vitamin D category. A descriptive analytical cross-sectional design was implemented from September to November, during which serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium were measured, and demographic data were recorded. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 21, applying descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05. Participants ranged in age from 6 to 50 years, with a mean of 20.83 ± 11.22 years. Serum vitamin D levels showed considerable variation, ranging from 3 to 53.8 ng/mL, with a mean of 22.51 ± 10.67 ng/mL; deficiency was identified in 47.2% of patients, insufficiency in 30.6%, and sufficiency in 22.2%. Serum calcium concentrations ranged from 8.3 to 10.1 mg/dL, with a mean of 9.11 ± 0.43 mg/dL. No statistically significant differences in vitamin D or calcium were found between males and females, between age groups, or across vitamin D categories. In conclusion, a notable proportion of dental clinic attendees had low vitamin D levels, whereas serum calcium levels remained within normal limits across all groups. These findings provide useful baseline biochemical information for this population and highlight the broad presence of suboptimal vitamin D levels in the region