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What do your teeth have to do with arthritis... next
Gum disease bacteria linked to rheumatoid arthritis
In an article published in PLOS Pathogens, University of Louisville School of Dentistry
Oral Health and Systemic Diseases group researcher Jan Potempa, and an international team of
scientists from the European Union's Gums and Joints project have uncovered how the
bacterium responsible for periodontal disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis worsens RA by leading
to earlier onset, faster progression and greater severity of the disease, including increased
bone and cartilage destruction.
The scientists found that P. gingivalis produces a unique enzyme PAD. PAD changes residues
of certain proteins leading to an immune attack. In RA patients, the subsequent result is chronic
inflammation responsible for bone and cartilage destruction within the joints.
Comment: Perhaps a clue that will lead to better treatment