Is Periodontitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Inter-Related?

There is a growing awareness of the link between periodontal and systemic inflammatory conditions, such as RA. Inflammation plays a key role in the origin of RA, its chronification, and in a progression of the disease with soft and hard tissue destruction, in a way similar to the situation seen in patients with chronic periodontitis. While the existing level of evidence is low, the association may be reflective of common underlying dysregulation of an inflammatory response in these individuals, and it seems that a decrease in periodontal inflammation in some way influences the level of systemic inflammation, and appears to contribute to the clinical improvement of the disease.