The Arthritis Connection: Can Smarter Brushing Reduce Joint Pain?

How rheumatoid arthritis starts is still a topic of discussion in the medical community, but evidence strongly suggests that, while the condition impacts the joints, it does not start there. Counterintuitively, it’s largely believed that RA begins in other parts of the body and through the formation of autoantibodies — misguided antibodies that mistakenly attack the body’s own cells, organs, or tissue. These autoantibodies can cause organ dysfunction, inflammation, and disease.

Autoantibodies are known to be created throughout the body in places like the digestive system and lungs; the mouth is also particularly good at creating them as the P. gingivalis (the bacteria that causes gingivitis and an oral microbe linked to arthritis) alters proteins in the body that the body perceives as a threat, thus spurring the creation of autoantibodies.

One significant study points to a cause-and-effect relationship between oral health and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Researchers studied forty individuals with both moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis and severe periodontitis (gum disease). Twenty individuals were assigned to receive treatment for their gum disease (namely through routine oral hygiene) and twenty were the control group and did not receive treatment. The study concluded that the oral health therapy led to a significant beneficial effect on both the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis can cause problems with salivary glands that result in dry mouth for 30% to 50% of people with RA. Saliva has a host of important functions in the body: It protects teeth from decay, helps heal wounds in the mouth, and wards off gum disease. Without enough saliva, individuals are at higher risk of oral health issues like gum disease, decay, and infection.