Articles Tagged with rheumatoid arthriis

A recent study by leading researchers has found a potential connection between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Beautiful, healthy gums mean not just a perfect smile, but could also mean healthier joints for you. Those findings came from a study that was published recently in the journal, Science Translational Medicine.  Researchers from some of the best institutions in the United States, including Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, examined the gum fluid of people who suffer from periodontitis or gum disease, and found that the fluid contained high levels of a protein, which can trigger symptoms in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

The findings of the study are far from conclusive. The researchers have no evidence to confirm that everybody who suffers from gum disease is at a high risk of suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, or that everyone who suffers from arthritis, will have the specific immune response to the protein found in the gum fluid. In spite of this, however, it’s good advice to keep your gums healthy.  Pay attention to oral hygiene, because other studies have also linked gum disease to a number of other conditions, including diabetes and stroke.