Cosmetic Dentistry Blog at My Dentist USA

Healthy Gums Help Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Scientists and health care professionals have always known that there is a general connection between tooth and gum decay, and systemic disease, but new studies show that there is a specific connection between dental health and rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland have made a connection between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It seems that the soft and hard tissues involved in joins and muscles as well as teeth and gums are similarly affected by inflammation caused by toxins from bacterial infection.

"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," comments Nabil Bissada, D.D.S., head of the department of periodontics at Case Western.

For those who are skeptical that dental hygiene can affect overall health, now there's even more evidence to show that taking care of your teeth and gums can lessen the effects of rheumatoid arthritis and promote overall health and well-being.

Find a licensed Cosmetic Dentist in your area, and begin your journey to better dental health!

Labels: eliminating gum disease, gum disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Tooth Decay, treatment of gum disease

 

---