Increased Risk of Periodontitis in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Data regarding an increased risk of periodontitis in rheumatoid arthritis patients are conflicting. As these two inflammatory diseases may have mutually negative effect on the host, a connection will have implications for periodontal monitoring of these patients.

In this study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, patients and controls were defined using ICD-10 codes registered in the Norwegian Patient Registry, from 2011 to 2017. The 324,232 included subjects had at least one registered diagnostic code for rheumatoid arthritis (33,040 patients) or diagnostic codes for non-osteoporotic fractures or hip or knee replacement due to osteoarthritis (controls).

The risk of periodontitis increased with an increasing number of RA visits. RA patients having 10 or more visits during the 7-year period had a 50% increased risk of periodontitis compared to controls.

In this register-based study in which periodontal treatment was used as a surrogate marker for periodontitis, the study found an increased risk of periodontitis in RA patients, particularly those with active disease and new RA.

This knowledge can increase awareness among healthcare workers about the significance of closely monitoring patients with active RA, ensuring thorough periodontal preventive supervision and treatment.