title: Oral manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. A cross-sectional study of 73 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A study is made of the main oral manifestations of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly salivary flow, and of its possible association to periodontal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective comparative study was made of 146 patients (73 with RA and 73 controls), recording pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, bleeding index, plaque index, and the DMFT index to assess periodontal and dental alterations. Sialometric measurements were also made to determine resting, stimulated, and parotid salivary flow.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with RA had greater periodontal pocket depths (with moderate depths in most cases), as well as greater attachment loss and more bacterial plaque. The resting whole saliva and stimulated parotid saliva rates were also clearly decreased in the RA group compared with the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with RA are more likely to present periodontal disease, poorer oral hygiene manifesting as an increased accumulation of bacterial plaque, and decreased salivary flow rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vulnerability to periodontitis is confirmed in one of the largest samples ever studied of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Also, there is evidence of hyposialia (decrease in salivary rate) in RA patients without Sjögren's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. javisilvestre@hotmail.com.|Clínica Odontológica de la Universidad de Valencia, c/Gascó Oliag 1, 46021, Valencia, Spain. javisilvestre@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4356-5063
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silvestre-Rangil
authors.affiliation: European University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bagán
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Silvestre
authors.affiliation: Valencia University Medical and Dental School. Chairman Service of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, University General Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: José Vicente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Bagán
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000209:etiology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Dental caries; Oral manifestations; Periodontal disease; Rheumatoid arthritis; Salivary flow