Gum disease and arthritis: How bacteria in your mouth could be hurting your joints

Periodontal disease, which affects the gums and tissues around the teeth, is one of the most common dental disorders globally. Research links periodontal disease to worsening rheumatoid arthritis symptoms Periodontal disease, which is most commonly caused by the growth and deposition of bacterial biofilm around the teeth, can eventually lead to tooth loss if not treated properly. Several decades of clinical research have proven that the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is closely related to the onset and worsening of rheumatoid arthritis, a serious autoimmune disease that affects joints. How Gum Disease May Worsen Arthritis In a recent study published online on 15 August 2024, in the International Journal of Oral Science, a research team from Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Japan sought to fill this knowledge gap through detailed mechanistic studies in an animal model. "Our research findings provide new insights into the link between periodontal pathogenic bacteria and the exacerbation of arthritis through inflammasome activation, offering important information on the long-debated relationship between periodontal disease and systemic diseases," highlights Professor Toshihiko Suzuki, one of the lead authors of the study.