Do bacteria in the mouth affect risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis?

Investigators found similarities in the bacterial composition of the mouth among patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and those at risk of developing the disease, compared with healthy individuals who were not at risk. The findings come from a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Patients and at-risk individuals had an increased relative abundance of potentially pro- inflammatory bacteria in the mouth, suggesting a possible link between oral microbes and rheumatoid arthritis.

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