Arthritis

Many recent studies indicate that inflammation in the body leads to high risk for many systemic illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis as well as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and complications in pregnancy to name a few. Atlanta Dental Spa is at the forefront of dentistry as this new information appears. There is convincing evidence that points to gum disease as a causative factor for increasing inflammation in the body and putting people at risk for life-threatening illness.

There is further evidence that suggests that if an individual already has a systemic illness, having gum disease will exacerbate the illnesses complications. This means that if a person with rheumatoid arthritis also has gum disease (which we now know they are 8 times more likely to have), the rheumatoid arthritis complications will likely get worse. The good news is that if the same patient has their gum disease treated properly, their rheumatoid arthritis complications may be reduced. While this is all new evidence based on recent research results, we at Atlanta Dental Spa believe it is something to get excited about.

At Atlanta Dental Spa, when we treat patients with gum disease we do so in a way that reduces the inflammatory processes. First, we eliminate the toxic bacteria present in the mouth and in the pockets around the teeth. In the presence of these toxic bacteria, our bodies naturally increase our inflammatory response in order to protect from these bacteria. Unfortunately, as the inflammatory response peaks, so does further tissue damage beyond what the bacteria are already doing. We target the bacteria while focusing on decreasing the body’s inflammatory response. In doing so, we are able to help slow, and in many cases stop, the progression of the disease and the collateral damage caused by it.

Because patients who have rheumatoid arthritis are 8 times more likely to have gum disease than patients who do not have rheumatoid arthritis, patients who have rheumatoid arthritis should see their dentist more frequently than the recommended twice per year visits. Because these individuals are more prone to gum disease, and they already have a higher concentration of inflammatory cytokines, their gum tissues are going to have more damage and their disease is going to progress more quickly than other cases of gum disease.

Studies suggest a higher prevalence of gum disease in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis (RI). Most of these studies focus on concentrations of various cytokines (chemicals the cells in our bodies use to communicate with one another), specifically cytokines involved in inflammatory processes (like Interleukins (IL-4 and IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Cytokines like these are present in high levels when inflammation is present in the body.

Since both rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease are inflammatory diseases, we expect inflammatory cytokines to be present in high levels in patients who have either RI or gum disease, or both. Studies confirm this is the case. Studies go on to indicate that patients who have RI are much more likely to have gum disease as well. In fact, patients who have rheumatoid arthritis are more than 8 times more likely to have gum disease than patients who do not have rheumatoid arthritis.