Interesting Connection: Teeth & Arthritis
June 12, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Although we see a separate group of health professionals when it comes to our mouth (dentist, orthodontist, endodontist, oral surgeon), our oral health is far from being separate from the rest of our body. Often, the condition of our teeth and gums is reflective of the condition of our whole body.
Doctors have known for a while that there’s a connection between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and oral health and now research has put the two together, according to two separate studies presented at a medical conference in Denmark this week.
The first study found that 56% of people who had RA also …read more
Gum Disease May Increase Cancer Risk
May 28, 2008 by Gloria Gamat
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
A new study in the UK revealed that gum disease may increase the risk of cancer.
Though the link is still unclear, people with gum infections have increased amount of inflammatory markers in the blood — inflammation has previously been linked to cancer.
According to lead researcher Dominique Michaud, a cancer epidemiologist at Imperial College London (UK):
“Men with history of periodontal disease had a 14 percent higher risk of cancer than those who did not have periodontal disease, and the increase persisted among never smokers.
This new finding needs to be examined in other populations and among women, but it at least suggests …read more




