TOOTH OF THE MATTER

WHAT the state of your teeth reveals about your health. This week: Rheumatoid arthritis

TOOTH loss — a sign of gum disease — has been linked to rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.

‘Rheumatoid arthritis is potentially triggered by an infection in the body and some research suggests that bugs in the mouth which cause gum disease may be responsible,’ says Robert Moots, a professor of rheumatology at the University of Liverpool. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system malfunctions and instead of fighting invaders, it turns on itself, and starts attacking the body, rather than protecting it. So it may be that the infections from bugs in the mouth prompt the immune system to behave in this way.