The Effect of Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy on Rheumatoid Arthritis

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease characterised by the destruction of the soft and hard tissues supporting the tooth, including alveolar bone, periodontal ligament and cementum. Periodontitis has been associated with different host characteristics such as diabetes or neutrophil disorders and environmental factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and stress. On the other hand, periodontal bacterial infection triggers a systemic immune response that is associated with an increased risk of different disorders such as bacterial pneumonia, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severe chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, characterised by symmetrical, erosive synovitis of the joints, sometimes with multisystem organ involvement, joint destruction and excessive bone loss. Although the etiology of RA is unknown, it is thought to occur in individuals with genetic predisposition as a result of exposure to various environmental factors. RA and periodontitis are chronic destructive inflammatory diseases with common genetic and environmental risk factors, pathogenesis mechanisms and complex multifactorial pathological processes. Several studies suggest that periodontitis, a common inflammatory disease of the periodontium surrounding the teeth and triggered by bacteria in the mouth, is associated with RA and may initiate and worsen inflammation in RA. Non-surgical periodontal treatment (COPT), which is considered the gold standard in the treatment of periodontitis with hand instruments and ultrasonic instruments, has been shown to provide significant improvements in the clinical outcomes of periodontitis patients with RA. COPT is performed to stop the progression of periodontal diseases. Considering the studies supporting the bidirectional relationship between periodontitis and RA, it is thought that COPT may affect the clinical and biochemical values of RA. Based on these points, the aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between serum and salivary ANGPTL-4, MMP-13, TNF-α and IL-6 levels and periodontal disease in individuals with RA and to evaluate the effects of COPT on RA disease severity in vivo.