Experts welcome the results
“It is well established that oral health impacts overall health. In particular, the link between periodontal disease and chronic systemic diseases has been explored in many robust studies,” Chi T. Viet, MD, DDS, PhD, oral and maxillofacial surgeon and associate professor at the Loma Linda (Calif.) University School of Dentistry, told this news organization.
“The study ... highlights the importance of early treatment and prevention of oral health issues, as they can have devastating systemic sequelae,” added Dr. Viet, who was not involved in the study.
Devon Charlton, MD, MPH, director of rheumatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Regional Orthopedics in New Castle, Pa., advised patients and providers to team up to manage RA and PD.
“If the patient and provider aggressively treat periodontal disease and dental health in general, the patient decreases their risk of infection and inflammation, decreases the potential development of RA, and increases their future quality of life,” said Dr. Charlton, also not involved in the study.
However, findings from the study population may be difficult to generalize to other populations, he added.
Dr. Orange and her colleagues suggest further related research, including studies on whether treating PD makes RA easier to treat and whether the treatment of PD in patients whose RA is in clinical remission raises the likelihood of being able to discontinue therapy safely.
The study was supported through grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Robertson Foundation, Rockefeller University, the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation, the Iris and Junming Le Foundation, and the Rheumatology Research Foundation. Dr. Orange reports no relevant financial relationships. Several coauthors report financial relationships with the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Viet and Dr. Charlton report no relevant financial relationships. All experts commented by email.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.