OKLAHOMA CITY, U.S.: Good oral hygiene can obviate many diseases, including gingivitis, diabetes and hypotension. Now, new research suggests it may also make a difference in the prevention and management of lupus. In the study, the scientists focused on bacteria commonly found in the mouth that have previously been associated with gum disease.
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientists, Drs. Umesh Deshmukh and Harini Bagavant have found a link between gum disease and lupus, an auto-immune disease that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans.
“Our findings suggest a simple message, if there is good dental care, patients have a good chance of experiencing less severe disease,” said Bagavant. “With further research, we might be able to tell if proper oral health has the potential to help prevent these diseases altogether.”
She added: “Our study shows that patients who might have been exposed to gum disease-causing bacteria show higher lupus activity. Therefore, we expect that a seemingly small change, like brushing and flossing regularly, could benefit patients who are already on a host of powerful medications by allowing them to modify their treatment with fewer drugs or less powerful dosages.”
Deshmukh said the new findings provide a strong rationale for improving dental care in lupus patients as an addition to traditional therapy. The research could also lead to new methods of early disease detection.
He emphasized that the findings could also have implications beyond lupus. “Poor oral health can contribute to a number of diseases,” said Deshmukh. “Taking care of your teeth now could help you avoid Type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis, among others.”
The study, titled “Antibodies to periodontogenic bacteria are associated with higher disease activity in lupus patients,” was published in a Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology epub edition ahead of print on June 25, 2018.
Tags:
CHICAGO, USA: According to a new study, a natural compound found in grape seed extract, which has been shown to have several health benefits, could be used ...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: In recent years, increasing attention has been given to aspects of oral health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ...
PRAGUE, Czech Republic: Osstem Europe, the European headquarters of Osstem Implant, one of the world’s major dental implant manufacturers, has introduced ...
IRVINE, Calif., U.S.: BIOLASE, the global leader in dental lasers, recently announced the launch of its new Epic Hygiene laser at the Greater New York ...
HONG KONG: Two researchers at the University of Hong Kong have jointly designed a new toothbrush—the only toothbrush in the world—that can brush every ...
LEEDS, UK: Though dental fillings are an established method of treating the presence of dental caries in permanent dentition, their usefulness for treating ...
SEOUL, South Korea: Previous research has suggested that poor oral hygiene leads to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body. This increases ...
GENEVA, Switzerland: With the summer sports season in full swing, FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) has partnered with Sunstar to release a series of sports...
Digital technology has continually changed many working processes in the dental practice and laboratory in the past 20 years, and patients have enjoyed ...
LONDON, UK: The British Dental Association (BDA) is celebrating the victory in the House of Lords of the passing of a key amendment challenging a government...
Live webinar
Thu. 18 July 2024
8:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Tue. 6 August 2024
6:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Tue. 13 August 2024
7:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Wed. 14 August 2024
12:30 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Wed. 21 August 2024
9:00 am EST (New York)
Dr. Jim Lai DMD, MSc(Perio), EdD, FRCD(C)
Live webinar
Wed. 28 August 2024
8:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Mon. 2 September 2024
5:00 am EST (New York)
To post a reply please login or register