Oral Findings in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Abstract

background: Rheumatoid arthritis affects women more than men 3:1. Rheumatoidarthritis can start at any age but most commonly occurs in the 30 – 50 age groups.Rheumatoid arthritis also has oral, occular manifestations, dryness, swelling ofsalivary glands, xerostomia, oral and mucosal ulcerations. The aims of this study were todetermine the oral manifestations in newly and old (previously) diagnosed Rheumatoidarthritis patients and compare it with healthy controls (without systemic diseases) and finallyto find the accurate prevalence of these manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients.Materials and methods: Seventy two (72) subjects were incorporated in this study, theywere divided into 2 groups, Rheumatoid arthritis patients group: fifty – two (52) patients withrheumatoid arthritis, they were (11) males and (41) females, Seventeen newly diagnosedrheumatoid arthritis untreated patients. Thirty five rheumatoid arthritis patients were onmethotrexate treatment. All rheumatoid arthritis patients were without any other systemicdisease. Healthy control group: - twenty healthy control subjects with no signs and symptomsof any systemic disease. They were sex and age matched to rheumatoid arthritis patients.Results: The results revealed that the main oral manifestations of Rheumatoid arthritispatients were angular cheilitis, candidial infection, tempromandibular joint disorder, oralulceration, and xerostomia. In old diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients, the percentages oforal ulcerations, tempromanbdibular joints, and xerostomia was significantly higher than innewly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients. While the percentage of angular chilitis andcandidial infections in newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients was significantly higherthan in old (previously) diagnosed patients.Conclusion: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease in which Saliva is a goodrecommended sample for evaluation and estimation of the severity of disease as well astreatment follow up. Oral ulceration and xerostomia are the most prominent oralmanifestations coincide with the progress of the disease and treatment.