Periodontal condition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
The purpose of this clinical study was to investigate if periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated. The study included 39 RA patients (test group) and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals (control group). Questionnaires on general and oral health were applied and a complete periodontal exam, including visible plaque, marginal bleeding, attachment loss (AL) and number of teeth present, was also performed by a single calibrated examiner. Diabetes mellitus patients and smokers were excluded. RA patients had fewer teeth, higher prevalence of sites presenting dental plaque and a higher frequency of sites with advanced attachment loss. Although the prevalence of dental plaque was higher in the test group (Chi-square test, p = 0.0006), the percentage of sites showing gingival bleeding was not different (Fishers exact test, p > 0.05). Based on our results, we suggest that there is an association between periodontal disease and RA.
Ishi
Eduardo de Paula
Ede P
School of Dentistry of Araraquara, São Paulo State University, Brazil.
Bertolo
Manoel Barros
MB
Rossa
Carlos
C
Kirkwood
Keith Lough
KL
Onofre
Mirian Aparecida
MA
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000209:etiology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology; D017678:Sex Distribution