The painful joint inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis may be linked to the bone-destroying inflammation of gum disease.
After researchers found that people diagnosed with gum disease are four times more likely to report past problems with rheumatoid arthritis, a group of Australian scientists began searching for the connection.
| "[T]he aims of this study were to study a population of rheumatoid arthritis patients and determine the extent of their periodontal disease and correlate this with various indicators of rheumatoid arthritis... it was found that swollen joints, health assessment questionnaire scores, levels of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were the principal parameters which could be associated with periodontal bone loss. Conclusion: The results of this study provide further evidence of a significant association between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis. This association may be a reflection of a common underlying disregulation of the inflammatory response in these individuals." |
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"Relationship Between
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Periodontitis" F.B. Mercado, R.I. Marshall, A.C. Klestov and P.M. Bartold, Journal of Periodontology June 2001 |
Comparing a group of 65 people with rheumatoid arthritis to 65 other volunteers without the condition, the researchers found that arthritis patients seemed to take equally good care of their teeth despite their joint pain.
Nevertheless, the arthritis patients were twice as likely to have periodontal disease with moderate to severe jawbone loss -- and they averaged 11.6 missing teeth, compared to 6.7 for the other volunteers.
Therefore, patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, and their dentists, should watch for early signs of gum disease.
| " 'People with rheumatoid arthritis should take note of this connection,' said Michael McGuire, D.D.S., president of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). 'They should be on a close lookout for signs of periodontal disease, such as red, swollen gums that bleed easily. The earlier you detect periodontal disease and treat it, the better off you are.' " |
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"People With Rheumatoid
Arthritis Have More Periodontal Disease" The American Academy of Periodontology |