Gum Disease Treatment Aids Arthritis

Mon, 08 Jun 2009

People who suffer from gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis can reduce the aches and pains of both conditions through dental treatment, according to a new US study that provides further evidence on links between oral and overall health .

Research by the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland supports existing medical studies linking gum disease with arthritic pain and inflammation.

Scientists monitored 40 people with moderate or severe periodontitis and severe rheumatoid arthritis to study the impact of treatments on arthritic pain, which is linked to and inflamed by toxins in the body.

Patients treated with anti-inflammatory drugs or given dental treatment for gum disease reported easing of arthritic symptoms.

Those who had treatments such as scaling and improved oral hygiene also saw their arthritis symptoms lessened.

Nabil Bissada, head of the department of periodontics at the dental school, said: "It was exciting to find that if we eliminated the infection and inflammation in the gums, then patients with a severe kind of active rheumatoid arthritis reported improvement on the signs and symptoms of that disease.

She added that rheumatologists should encourage their patients to be aware of the link between gum disease and arthritis .

The research linking treatment for gum disease with easing of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, published in the Journal of Periodontology, backs the ‘Look After Yourself, Brush for Health' message of the British Dental Health Foundation's annual National Smile Month campaign (17 May to 16 June).

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, said: "This research supports existing evidence which found that extracting painful teeth had a positive impact on arthritic pain."

"Visiting the dentist is an important part of our overall health routine – especially as research potentially links gum disease to not only arthritis, but heart disease, strokes, diabetes and premature births."

"Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between teeth daily with floss or an inter-dental brush and visiting the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend, will all help you to look after yourself."
add to favouritesnewsletterlink to this pagesend to friendpost comments

Link to this page

Copy and Paste the following HTML into your page.

Health cover, life insurance and PMIProtect Your Health

Find Critical illness, Life and Private Medical Insurance PMI policies.

Save money on your mortgageSave on Your Mortgage

Would you like to save money on your mortgage? Fill out our quick mortgage enquiry form