RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND ORAL HEALTH.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND ORAL HEALTH.

Hi... all my dear VIEWERS AND READERS..

HOPE YOU ALL ARE DOING WELL SO FAR...

 

This time came up with another  implausible  blog regarding the CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ORAL HEALTH AND THE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. 

BEGINNING WITH...

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WHAT’S ARTHRITIS?

Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints causing pain and stiffness that can worsen with age.

It can be acute and  acute turns chronic if not acknowledged gradually with aging. 

TYPES OF ARTHRITIS:- IN LARGER TERMS,WE CAN SAY ITS OF SEVEN TYPES.

Osteoarthritis. 

Rheumatoid arthritis.

Childhood arthritis.

Spondyloarthropathies

Lupus erythematosus.

Gout.

Infectious and reactive arthritis. 

Psoriatic arthritis. 

 

Here ,I’ ll be concentrating more on the RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. 

 

 

 

WHAT’S RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?

It’s an autoimmune disease.It means ,immune system mistakenly attacks parts if the own body cells especially joints(JAWS).It leads to inflammation which can cause severe joint damage.

Sometimes ,RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS GETS EXPRESSED AS RHEUMATOID NODULES.

Mainly prevalent on the ankles,knuckles, heels and elbows. 

HOW THE  ORAL HEALTH IS CONNECTED TO THE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. 

In RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, JOINT  INVOLVED IS TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT BETWEEN  THE LOWER JAW(MANDIBLE) AND THE SKULL.

 

Here you need to understand the padding given by THE ARTICULAR DISC ACTING AS CUSHION IN THE JOINT AREA.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THE LIGAMENTS, TENDONS AND THE MUSCLES.

With RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, DEGENERATION IS SEEN IN THE JOINT SPACE gradually with complete obliteration of the space causing ANKYLOSIS IN THE LATER STAGES.

COMMON RISK FACTORS ARE:- EXCACERBATING THE SYSTEMIV AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS:

 

ORAL HEALTH MANIFESTATIONS/EXPRESSIONS/

SYMPTOMS :-

HERE ,NOTE DOWN-ORAL HYGIENE NEGLIGENCE UNACCEPTABLE. 

ORAL CLINICAL FINDINGS CAN BE PROMINENT IF NEGLECTED.

Pain,swelling and redness.

Locking  of your JAW at one position(LOCK JAW).

Sounds produces like clicking/popping/crepitus(crunching) and cracking.

Scraping sensation in the jaw.

JAW stiffness.

Difficulty chewing of hard foods/sticky foods. 

Malallignment of the teeth.(Anterior open bite in later stages).

Sore muscles in your cheeks(strained tendons and ligaments).-orthopedic problems. 

Bumps under the skin near joints as NODULES. 

Referred pain to head ,neck,back and shoulders and entire facewith headaches and Migraines.

Earaches,tinnitus and dizziness sometimes. 

 

Note:BOTH THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT JOINTS ARE AFFECTED AT THE SAME TIME.(BILATERAL INVOLVMENT) IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. 

PROGRESSION IS UNIQUE TIO THE PATIENT. WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE JAWS.

Other conditions involve only one JAW.(UNILATERAL).

 

Let’s know how it gets diagnosed.

DIAGNOSIS:-

EARLY SYMPTOMS INVOLVED ARE HANDS,FINGERS AND WRIST.

EARLY DETECTION TO PREVENT DAMAGE.

DETAILED MEDICAL AND DENTAL HISTORY. 

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION TO BE CARRIED OUT IN TERMS OF 

SWELLING AND WARMTH AROUND THE JOINTS.

PAINFUL MOTION.

LUMPS ( NODULES) UNDER THE SKIN.

JOINT DEFORMATIES INVOLVING HANDS, WRIST,FEET ETC(firstly involved).Then gradual involvement of the jaw BILATERALLY.

COMMON DIAGNOSTIC SIGNS INCLUDE:-

To check for the JAW (TM- JOINT) - RELATED SYMPTOMS.

          TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT.

INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVED:-

BLOOD EXAMINATION: 

involving the PRESENCE OF RHEUMATOID FACTOR(MONITORING LEVELS OF RHEUMATIC FACTOR(IMPORTANT INFLAMMATORY MARKER).

IMAGING-(RADIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION)

X -RAY-first to check the inflammed joints(TM JOINT).

MRI-to check for the soft tissues (articular disc)

CT SCAN-to check the changes in the bones .

 

TREATMENT INVOLVED:-

Rest.

Controlled exercise.

Splint.

Proper diet.

MEDICATION-Anti-Rheumatic drugs with muscle relaxants.

                       Non Steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs).

SURGERY IS THE LAST RESORT.

Maximize function and minimize deformity. 

Joint replacement. 

JOINT fusion.

 

HOME REMEDIES to be undertaken:-

INCLUDE:-

Use heat or ice packs.

Relax jaw muscles with some jaw exercises. 

Eat soft foods during flare-up.

Massage sore muscles. On the cheeks and temples.

Use mouth guards-while sleeping to reduce pressure on the jaws.

Keep your hands -off.-avoid resting chin in your hands when you have jaw pain.

Limit movement of the jaw during speaking, yawning and talking .EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE JAWS JOINTS CAN CAUSE PAIN.

Chew with your front teeth.

To do couple of exercises which can be helpful. 

Application of moist heat.(HOT fermentation).

Sometimes icepacks do help(COLD- FERMENTATION.).

USE STRAWS FOR DRINKING WATER/OTHER LIQUIDS. 

 

Extreme late phase:

COMPLICATION/IMPLICATIONS:-

ANKYLOSIS with limited jaw movement in later phase.

TMJ SWELLING CAN LEAD TO DISLOCATION IN SOME CASES.

IMPLICATIONS OF ORAL CARE TO BE CONSIDERED!!

 

So..here we need to understand that both MEDICAL AND DENTAL INTERVENTION BOTH ARE REQUIRED. 

So...THIS WAS ALL ABOUT THE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND ORAL HEALTH. 

DO NOT IGNORE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN ANY CASE. 

BE VIGILENT ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS HAPPENING. 

IF STARTED, VISIT THE ORTHOPAEDICIAN AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON FOR THE SAME.

MAINTAINANCE OF SYSTEMIC HEALTH AND ORAL HEALTH VERY  MUCH REQUIRED TO KEEP YOU ALL GOING WITHOUT PAUSES .

A GOOD SYSTEMIC HEALTH GIVES YOU A GREAT SMILE ON YOUR FACE.

THANKYOU..

MEET YOU SOON ..

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