MIGRAINES & HEADACHES: Highly Recommended
Special Report on a new class 2 medical device that relieves headaches and migraines in 93% of patients trialled.more info...
SAFETOX - THE NATURAL, NON-TOXIC FACELIFT PHENOMENON
Watch wrinkles fade by 83% with this 5 minute-a-day facelift wondermore info...
NEW! . . . SUPER FOODS FOR A SUPER-HEALTHY YOU
Unleash the secret healing power of Nature's ultimate foods - & 'programme' your body to remain free of illnessmore info...
Oral Health
The Link Between Gum Disease And Rheumatoid Arthritis
Date: 12/06/09
Our regular readers will know that it is very seldom that one only suffers a single ailment in isolation. Chances are that ailments, disorders and disease have a knock-on effect on each other and sometimes, something seemingly unrelated can cause a much bigger problem. The reverse is also sometimes true: If you treat one ailment other conditions may be relieved.
Recent research found that people who have both gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can relieve both conditions by treating their mouth infection.
Mouth to hand, to joints, to articular cartilage…
About 1 per cent of the world's population is afflicted by RA - women three times more often than men. The onset of RA is most frequent in 40 to 50 year-olds, but no age is immune. It is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of physical function and mobility.
Gum disease is inflammation of the gums (gingivae) and damage to the bone that anchors teeth in the jaws. Gum disease is very common, affecting more than half of adults with natural teeth. It can be treated by a dentist or hygienist and, in the early stages, the effects can be reversed.
Rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease – the odd couple…
US researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland studied 40 patients who had both moderate to severe periodontal disease and a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis.
The participants were divided into four groups. Two groups received anti-TNF arthritis drugs. (TNF or tumour necrosis factor is a protein which is present in the blood when there is inflammation.)
One of these groups also received standard non-surgical dental treatment to clean and remove the infection from the bones and tissues in the gum areas. The other group did not.
A third group was given dental treatment alone and the fourth was given nothing.
The results:
* RA of the patients given only periodontal treatment was less severe and they had a reduction in TNF-levels in their blood.
* Patients who were not given periodontal treatment did not show a similar reduction in the severity of their RA.
* Gum health improved more in the groups receiving anti- TNF-therapy.
* The group that only received anti-TNF- therapy (and no periodontal treatment), had no improvement in gum health.
* Those who were given both dental treatment and anti- TNF drugs saw the biggest improvement in their symptoms.
This recent study is not the first to make the connection between RA and gum disease and supports previous research, which showed that extracting painful teeth had a positive effect on arthritic pain. In addition, the study confirmed that the improvement in arthritis symptoms occurred regardless of whether anti-TNF drugs were taken.
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.”
Keep smiling and keep walking…
Good health is a ‘head-to-toe task’. The areas of neglect will inevitably be the areas that will later show concern and develop problems.
Preventing gum disease involves controlling the amount of plaque and tartar that builds up on your teeth. You can do this by:
* Brushing at least twice a day
* Cleaning between your teeth daily with floss or inter- dental brushes
* Visiting a dentist or hygienist at least twice a year
Your dentist or hygienist can show you the correct way to brush, floss and use inter-dental brushes. Dental floss or inter-dental brushes are used to remove plaque and particles of food from between the teeth and under the gum line. These are areas that a toothbrush can't reach.
Even thorough brushing and flossing can't remove every trace of plaque. Most people have irregularities in their teeth where plaque can build up out of reach and harden into tartar. This can only be removed by your dentist or hygienist during scaling.
I’ll leave you with the words of Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Foundation: ‘"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.’
Related Reading:
Green Tea And CoQ10 May Protect Against Gum And Heart Disease
Gingivitis Treatment: Natural Remedies To Help Your Gums
Heart Disease: The Hidden Culprit Behind Heart Disease - And How You Can Fight It
Avoid Periodontitis With These Healthy Habits
Sources:
‘Gum disease and arthritis’ published online 08.06.09, nhs.uk
‘Gum disease care 'aids arthritis'’ published online 07.06.09, news.bbc.co.uk
‘Gum Disease’, published online, hcd2.bupa.co.uk
‘What is gum disease?’ published online by the British Dental Health Foundation, dentalhealth.org.uk
Back to topRecent research found that people who have both gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can relieve both conditions by treating their mouth infection.
Mouth to hand, to joints, to articular cartilage…
About 1 per cent of the world's population is afflicted by RA - women three times more often than men. The onset of RA is most frequent in 40 to 50 year-olds, but no age is immune. It is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of physical function and mobility.
Gum disease is inflammation of the gums (gingivae) and damage to the bone that anchors teeth in the jaws. Gum disease is very common, affecting more than half of adults with natural teeth. It can be treated by a dentist or hygienist and, in the early stages, the effects can be reversed.
Rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease – the odd couple…
US researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland studied 40 patients who had both moderate to severe periodontal disease and a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis.
The participants were divided into four groups. Two groups received anti-TNF arthritis drugs. (TNF or tumour necrosis factor is a protein which is present in the blood when there is inflammation.)
One of these groups also received standard non-surgical dental treatment to clean and remove the infection from the bones and tissues in the gum areas. The other group did not.
A third group was given dental treatment alone and the fourth was given nothing.
The results:
* RA of the patients given only periodontal treatment was less severe and they had a reduction in TNF-levels in their blood.
* Patients who were not given periodontal treatment did not show a similar reduction in the severity of their RA.
* Gum health improved more in the groups receiving anti- TNF-therapy.
* The group that only received anti-TNF- therapy (and no periodontal treatment), had no improvement in gum health.
* Those who were given both dental treatment and anti- TNF drugs saw the biggest improvement in their symptoms.
This recent study is not the first to make the connection between RA and gum disease and supports previous research, which showed that extracting painful teeth had a positive effect on arthritic pain. In addition, the study confirmed that the improvement in arthritis symptoms occurred regardless of whether anti-TNF drugs were taken.
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.”
Keep smiling and keep walking…
Good health is a ‘head-to-toe task’. The areas of neglect will inevitably be the areas that will later show concern and develop problems.
Preventing gum disease involves controlling the amount of plaque and tartar that builds up on your teeth. You can do this by:
* Brushing at least twice a day
* Cleaning between your teeth daily with floss or inter- dental brushes
* Visiting a dentist or hygienist at least twice a year
Your dentist or hygienist can show you the correct way to brush, floss and use inter-dental brushes. Dental floss or inter-dental brushes are used to remove plaque and particles of food from between the teeth and under the gum line. These are areas that a toothbrush can't reach.
Even thorough brushing and flossing can't remove every trace of plaque. Most people have irregularities in their teeth where plaque can build up out of reach and harden into tartar. This can only be removed by your dentist or hygienist during scaling.
I’ll leave you with the words of Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Foundation: ‘"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.’
Related Reading:
Green Tea And CoQ10 May Protect Against Gum And Heart Disease
Gingivitis Treatment: Natural Remedies To Help Your Gums
Heart Disease: The Hidden Culprit Behind Heart Disease - And How You Can Fight It
Avoid Periodontitis With These Healthy Habits
Sources:
‘Gum disease and arthritis’ published online 08.06.09, nhs.uk
‘Gum disease care 'aids arthritis'’ published online 07.06.09, news.bbc.co.uk
‘Gum Disease’, published online, hcd2.bupa.co.uk
‘What is gum disease?’ published online by the British Dental Health Foundation, dentalhealth.org.uk
Click here to send to a friendShare thisPrinter friendly version
