Healio Rheumatology reports on a new study co-authored by Dana Orange, MD, MS, rheumatologist at HSS, showing patients with rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease may experience flares due to bacteria from “leaky gums" causing inflammation. 

“What we saw was that patients with periodontal disease were having repeated, frequent episodes where an array of oral commensal bacteria, not just one dominant bacteria, but basically all the bacteria that are normally present in the mouth, were making it into the blood. Although the patients with recurrent oral bacteremia were undergoing dental procedures for their periodontal disease while they were on our study, these episodes were independent of the dental work,” explained Dr. Orange.

“That told us that patients with periodontal disease have leaky gums that allow oral bacteria to get into their blood frequently, more than we originally realized. Patients do not have symptoms when this happens, so they don’t know it is happening,” said Dr. Orange. 

Read the full article at healio.com.

Additional coverage: 

directorsblog.nih.gov.

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