As ground-breaking scientific studies reveal the complex and intimate relationships between the parts of the human body and how they interact and influence each other, it is becoming increasingly important for us to approach the idea of health in a holistic manner in order to improve our health and enjoy a richer, more rewarding life.

1. The Surprising Link
between Your Oral
Health and Your
Joints

2. Whoever said that the human body is an inter-
connected unit was most certainly onto
something.
Typically, we’ll hear of a problem with a certain
body part manifesting its symptoms in a totally
different and seemingly unconnected area of
the body.

3. As ground-breaking scientific studies reveal the
complex and intimate relationships between
the parts of the human body and how they
interact and influence each other, it is
becoming increasingly important for us to
approach the idea of health in a holistic
manner in order to improve our health and
enjoy a richer, more rewarding life.

4. Did you know that an unhealthy
mouth could potentially lead to
joint problems and/or worsen
existing ones?
Back in 2009, a team of
researchers from the Case
Western Reserve University School
of Dental Medicine and University
Hospitals of Cleveland reported
rather startling findings.

5. It appears that there’s a very strong link
between gum disease and rheumatoid
arthritis.
The team studied a group of 40 people
who had mild to severe periodontal
disease and a severe form of rheumatoid
arthritis.
The participants were split into 4 separate
groups.

6. 1.Two groups were given anti-TNF-alpha drugs
that block the TNF-alpha protein at inflamed
arthritic sites.
2.According to patient.co.uk, “TNF-alpha is an
inflammatory cytokine or pro-inflammatory
mediator which, when present in excessive
concentrations, is responsible for the destructive
inflammatory processes that occur in, for
example, articular cartilage and bone in RA”
(Rheumatoid Arthritis).

7. 2. The other two groups were not put on this
medication, however:
a. Half of the group were not given any
treatment until the study was completed
b. The other half received a non-surgical
treatment to clean and eradicate the
infection from the tissues and bones in the
gums.

8. After the study was completed, the results were
compiled.
The researchers reported improvements of rheumatoid
arthritis symptoms in the participants who received the
gum disease treatment but not the anti-TNF-alpha
drugs.
They reported an even greater improvement in the
participants who received the drugs over those who
did not.
The drug stops the production TNF-a protein which can
exacerbate and trigger inflammation.

9. The team reported their findings in the Journal of
Periodontology.
They concluded that people who suffered from gum
disease and rheumatoid arthritis experienced a
reduction in symptoms when their oral health was
addressed and improved!
Dr Nabila Bissada, the chair of the department of
periodontics at the school was quoted as saying, “It
was exciting to find that if we eliminated the infection
and inflammation in the gums, then patients with a
severe kind of active rheumatoid arthritis reported
improvement on the signs and symptoms of that
disease.”

10. How does bad oral health cause dental problems? According to Dr Bissada, the
common dominating factor is ‘systemic inflammation’.
System inflammation is caused by toxins which are secreted by bacteria found in the mouth.
When an individual has gum disease, the gums become infected with bacteria.
The bacteria leads to the formation of plaque which breaks down the tooth and causes
recession of gum tissue.
This creates an easy pathway for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
These bacteria also release toxins which enter the bloodstream where they can travel to
virtually all parts of the body, including the joints.
Once they are there, they can destroy tissue and trigger an inflammatory response.
The destruction of tissue can potentially lead to joint problems while the inflammatory
response can worsen existing joint problems.

11. You see, a lot of joint problems are inflammatory in nature.
Diseases like arthritis and gout are all classed as ‘inflammatory
diseases’.
When this tumur necrosis factor-alpha protein is present in high
concentrations in the blood, it can initiate new infections and also
trigger inflammation, thereby worsening symptoms for patients who
already have the condition.
By practicing good oral health, the researchers found that the levels
of this inflammatory protein decreased.
With this reduction came a decrease in the severity of their
symptoms.

12. A later study by Dr Bissada and co further suggested
that there may be a link between the bacteria in
the mouth and joint failures.
In conclusion, it appears that the science speaks for
itself.
Good oral health is strongly linked to good overall
health, particularly joint health.

13. It appears that by practicing good oral hygiene, you could not
only relieve any pre-existing inflammatory conditions, but potentially
stop them from developing in the first place.
The idea that the mouth is a separate compartment from the rest of
the body is now completely invalid.
The mouth could actually be the key link to vitality, health and
vibrancy in the rest of the body.
By practicing good dental hygiene, we can make a significant step
toward ensuring we stay healthy, and most importantly, happy.
There’s not a stronger indicator of that than a healthy smile.

14. Contact Us
 Mark C. Marchbanks, D.D.S.
 2624 Matlock Road Suite 100, Arlington, TX 76015
 Phone: (817) 261-2747
 http://arlingtontexasdentist.net/