You have probably heard of gum disease before, whether it was from your dentist, a doctor or even one of our other blog posts. But if you are unfamiliar with the disease, gum (periodontal) disease is a progressive condition that affects the hard and soft tissues of the mouth, potentially causing severe damage to the area, tooth loss, and a spread of infection to other parts of the body. Losing your teeth is bad enough, but did you know that gum disease in Chester, NJ, can even be the cause of rheumatoid arthritis, which affects the motion of your joints? It’s true—research has found that gum disease is directly correlated to stiff, inflamed joints!
Remember we said that gum disease can cause tooth loss? Well, the European Congress of Rheumatology in Berlin, Germany, found the following startling facts:
24.2% of patients with arthritis had 10 or fewer teeth
16.1% of patients with arthritis had 11 to 20 teeth
36.3% of patients with arthritis had 21 to 27 teeth
23.3% of patients with arthritis had 28 or more teeth
This research shows that the fewer teeth a patient has, the greater their risk of joint inflammation. And those who already have inflamed joints tend to have more cases of gum disease. This may be caused by a shared protein called citrullination that is induced by gum disease and can lead to arthritis.
So does that mean treating gum disease can actually help prevent and ease symptoms of arthritis? YES! Researchers at Case Western University School of Dental Medicine and University found that patients who received nonsurgical treatment (scaling and root planing) for their gum disease experienced drastic improvements to their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms!
Dr. Thomas Bissell is an experienced periodontist who is skilled at diagnosing and treating gum disease in Chester, NJ. By catching gum disease in its earliest stage, gingivitis, we can easily treat the causes and prevent it from advancing to the more severe form of periodontitis. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Bissell today to treat gum disease and get on the path towards a healthy mouth and healthy joints!
