Could Gum Disease Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis?

[Amy_Lee]

Just read this interesting article which may be of interest to us, the RA patients. I had an injury on my right hand a year before the onset of the disease.

nbcnews.com/health/health-n...

[MarshaM]

Interesting article

[Amy_Lee in reply to MarshaM]

You are right, this is the first time I come across this hence I would like to share. We never know really what would happen.

[Hidden]

Thanks for sharing. Apparently they used to extract teeth to control arthritis a century ago.... I would get my teeth removed to stop my ra....

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

extract teeth to control arthritis a century ago... This is something new to me too, Hidden ? I believe we need to wait for more research to get to understand better.

Anyhow, I did have an injury on my hand and it never healed for a year. I even when for an operation, it continue not healing. A year later, I developed RA. I was on mtx for something and the injury healed without me knowing it. It was very painful and it swell in reddish black. I guess the RA even more painful hence I could not even felt the pain of the injury and it healed.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

It was a common practice to extract teeth in the late 1800's & early 1900's. Both my grandparents had their teeth extracted to prevent inflamatory arthritis, as their parents had done years earlier.

Scientist have been looking at the P. gingivalis bacteria for generations. Here is a link to a study in 2009

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much to send me the link for my knowledge. I will go through it now to see what it is all about.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

Yes knowledge is important. My mother thought her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc were crazy to extract their teeth before their 20th birthday.

My mom never got her teeth extracted, but she did suffer for years with periodontist once she turned 40. Strange.....

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Could that be just a coincident? Very strange really. I did had a few filling but beside that not much other problems. I go for dental appointment usually once a year or sometimes half yearly, so far so good.

I also make sure I clean my teeth properly hence I used to change my tooth brush often. My daughter always asks why I need to change my tooth brush that often? I just have to show her how bad my tooth brush can be the way I brush my teeth. Hahaha... May be I just brush my teeth too hard hence the tooth brush has to be changed often.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

I have had regular 2x a year dental cleanings since I was a child. My mom always had nice teeth as she looked after them, but she developed periodontal disease. After many dental operations, her teeth were saved. According to her dental specialist she was informed her teeth problems were inherited...

[Amy_Lee in reply to Amy_Lee]

I see. Then do you also have the same teeth problems? We cannot do away with this kind of inherited disease, really sad to know that. However, with good information, I believe we can minimize it.

[Hidden]

Washing State University, University of Kristianstad Sweden,and the University of Bern Switzerland have been looking into gum disease and ra. Here is a link stating that scientist believed this as far back as 1820

europepmc.org/abstract/med/...

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Suzannedale. It is really getting very interesting to know more, the relationship between RA and dental problem. I will read up more on this area as this is really new to me.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

I thought it an "old wives tale" as I grew up. More research needs to be done.

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

I would think the same not until I read up the links that you copied here. Yes, more research needs to be done and we need to read up more on this part too. However, how to avoid all these? Do you think we should really extract all our teeth at our young age? This is a very difficult situation to make because we do not know if RA will come without removing the teeth.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

No, I am not running out to my dentist to extract my teeth without iron clad proof by the World Health Organization.

When I read your post, it made me think of my family history with everyone getting their teeth pulled to prevent inflammatory arthritis. I thought that generation was crazy as no family member on my mom's side had arthritis, but they have no teeth either. Periodontal disease runs rampant and everyone on my mom's side of the family looks after their teeth. I regulary visit my dentist as I look after my teeth. Though I was told my dental problems are inherited...

Strange, I need to talk to my dentist about this. I want to know what she thinks.

[Amy_Lee in reply to Amy_Lee]

You have answered my question here. Yes, I would talk to the dentist and to get her opinion on this. I think I will raise this question too when I visit my rheumy in Jan 17.

If that is the problem, then it should be told to our kids so that they are fully aware of that and will decide later in their life. I do not believe in cover up information and disease in the family. I believe to let the young know to be ready for it.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

Everyone should know their family history, but that's easier said than done.

Maybe a direct relative of mine in the 1800's had inflammatory arthritis and teeth extraction was what the doctor did. Maybe they thought it a cure? Who knows. All I know is generation after generation had their teeth extracted to prevent arthritis.

All I know is that my mom and her siblings stopped the family tradition of teeth extracting. Though they do suffer with periodontal disease.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

If bad genes cause breast cancer and if breast cancer runs rampant in my family, then I would have my breast removed. So if bad genes cause dental problems that could lead to RA, then "yes" I would have my teeth extracted. I would also allow my kids to make their own choice....but I would want science to prove the teeth & ra theory.

[Amy_Lee in reply to Amy_Lee]

Suzannedale, I love your decision. We should let our kids to know and to decide.

Unfortunately, many Chinese families here still prefer to cover up the family diseases and choose not to inform the younger generation too.

My eldest son was born in Australia, he had a major operation there before we came back to Malaysia. The specialist told me that his problem could be inherited, he could not tell because my son was born early too hence the internal organs had yet to fully develop. When I came home, I told my in-law about the issue. Instead of getting good support, I was being told off and she told me not to tell anyone that my son had the operation. She also blamed me to send my son for the operation where she thought it was just a simple problem that could be cured in her way.

I was lucky that I never lived with them long. I finally decided to divorce because of the way my x was brought up hence no difference from them.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

I don't think covering up family secrets are limited to the Chinese... I always thought I was of Scottish & English descent. My relatives came to Upper Canada in the 1700's from the UK. I grew up knowing this.

I was stunned to find out I was also Irish and French on my fathers side of the family. My father grew up neglected so I guess I wasn't allowed to learn of my great- grandparent's travel to Canada from Ireland in 1903....

[Amy_Lee in reply to Amy_Lee]

Oh Suzannedale, it is bad not to know your own root. May be that was the way the older generation would do. However, we should be open to our own young, so that they know their own good and bad as much as we know.

In fact, my children did ask me about my grand parents stories but I hardly know much hence I could not brief them much. I only knew that my grand father from my father's side was from China and my own mother was sent back to China and later joined her parents in Malaysia when she was about 10. Very shameful not to know much. I think I will ask my mother more when I see her during Chinese New Year. I am glad she is still around for me to ask.

My eldest son is still in USA and he was trying to exchange information with the friends there but not much information I could provide him.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

I enjoy history. I found out my great-grandparents came from Ireland accidently. I was in Victoria (Provincial Capital of BC) and I was in a musem that held old marriage records.

I was surprised to read my fathers and his sister's name on it from 1903. Apparently my dad & my aunt were named after their grandparents.

We have a lot in common Amy. Your son was born early? My son was also born early. He was born in my 25th week of pregnancy. He weighed 1 pound 9 ounces. Thank God he survived and is a healthy young man at 6'4" and 230 pounds.

[Amy_Lee in reply to Amy_Lee]

Really, we have a lot in common. I hope I can see you one day. I plan to go to USA when my son finishes his PhD next year end, may be.

It was such a surprised to find out the history accidentally. Hahaha... Did you ask your grand parents after that? I would if I got such an information by accident.

Oh my son was born early but not to that extend. He was born 37 weeks and he had not turned yet. I had hard time with him during delivery in Australia. Your son was really born too early. I am glad that he is now a healthy and huge young man.