Periodontitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Posted on Thu, Mar 24, 2011
Recent research has indicated that there is a connection between two chronic diseases, periodontitis (gum disease) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an auto immune disease causing chronic inflammation and joint destruction. The link between the two is the commonality of their pathogens (bacteria) and symptoms. Both conditions consist of inflammation in soft tissue adjacent to bone. Antibodies to the same bacterial species are found in periodontal tissues and synovial (joint) tissues in RA patients. A strong genetic association has also been established.
The clinical signs and symptoms are very similar—pain, swelling, and tenderness. If untreated, both ultimately lead to bone destruction. Three known periodontal pathogens, P. gigivalis, T. forsythia, and P. intermedia have been found in RA synovial fluid. Furthermore, P. gigivalis is known to produce an enzyme that can modify specific proteins thereby producing an autoimmune response. This leads to the joint destruction typical of RA patients. Research seems to suggest that keeping periodontis under control may lead to prevention of RA in certain individuals. Furthermore, some research has shown improvement in RA symptoms following perio treatment. If this association is confirmed, it will be a very big development in both dentistry and medicine.
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