Adelaide: A common gum disease may indicate a person’s risk of developing
rheumatoid arthritis later in life, according to a University of
Adelaide dental expert. Pr Mark Bartold, says multiple processes that occur in the body when someone develops
periodontal (gum) disease serve as an indicator of possible development
of rheumatoid arthritis later in life. “Periodontitis (the
progressive loss of bone and tissue around teeth) is highly prevalent
and is a major public health problem in both developed and developing
countries, with up to 60% of adults suffering from the condition
world-wide,” says Professor Bartold says.
“When people start to
show signs and symptoms of gingivitis or early periodontitis, their
bodies may have already been experiencing a process of modification of
proteins (called citrullination and carbamylation) and the production of
auto-antibodies to these altered proteins. This process can occur quite
early in life – anywhere from mid-20s to early 30s.
“Both
citrullination and carbamylation also occur in people with rheumatoid
arthritis, a painful chronic disease that sees the body’s immune system
attack tissue in the joints.
“Because rheumatoid arthritis
doesn’t usually start to affect people until after 35, identifying these
processes in people with periodontitis may indicate they will develop
rheumatoid arthritis later in life,” he says.
Professor Bartold says not all people with periodontitis will get rheumatoid arthritis and vice versa.
“Rheumatoid arthritis is a lot less common than periodontitis, affecting only 1% of the population,” Professor Bartold says.
“This
finding suggests that those who are susceptible to both conditions have
already been "primed" for the arthritis through what's happened in
their gums,” he says.
Professor Bartold says more research is
needed but this is a significant finding and could lead to new
diagnostic tools and therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.
“The
next stage of the research will look at ways to block the processes of
citrullination and carbamylation and see how that impacts the
development of rheumatoid arthritis,” Professor Bartold says.
This
research is conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Susanna
Proudman (Rheumatology Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital) and Professor
David Haynes (School of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide).
This research was published in the journal Medical Hypotheses and has been supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).