Abstract
Background and objectiveThe antioxidant potential of vitamin C is useful in reducing oxidative stress, free radicals, and reactive oxygen species, which may assist in the improved outcomes of periodontal therapy. This systematic review was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy, in the management of periodontitis.Data sourcesPubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science.Study eligibility criteriaRandomized controlled trials published between January 1990 and March 2020.ParticipantsPeople 18years and older with periodontitis.Study appraisal and synthesis methodsThe Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) quality appraisal tool.ResultsThe initial search yielded 441 articles out of which six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Vitamin C supplementation helped improve bleeding indices in gingivitis but did not significantly lead to reduction of probing depths or clinical attachment gain for periodontitis.ConclusionAdministration of vitamin C as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy did not result in clinically significant improvements in pocket probing depths at 3months in periodontitis patients. With the limited evidence available, no recommendation can be made for supplementation of vitamin C in conjunction with initial periodontal therapy for subjects with periodontitis to improve primary treatment outcome measures.