AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE and ORAL HEALTH
PART III
According to the National Institutes of Health, 5% - 8% of the US population has some type of an autoimmune disease. The exact cause of autoimmune disease is unknown.
Our immune system is designed to fight off viruses and other organisms that can make us sick. When you have an autoimmune disease, the body's immune system attacks healthy cells, tissues, or organs. This can cause inflammation and affect many parts of the body, depending on the type of disease. In this article, we will focus on lupus.
LUPUS AND ORAL HEALTH
Although there are different types of lupus, according to the Lupus Foundation, the most common form is called systemic lupus erythematosus (“SLE”). Lupus can affect many parts of the body, making the management of symptoms challenging.
Oral health can be affected by conditions that occur in other parts of the body, and vice-versa. In other words, inflammation in the body can affect the oral cavity – but inflammation in the oral cavity can also travel to other parts of your body, which can make the management of an autoimmune disease even more difficult. For patients who have lupus, inflammation in the oral cavity and flare-ups of the disease itself share a reciprocal relationship.
Although medicines taken for lupus can cause side effects such as dry mouth, people with lupus may also have dry mouth because of a condition called Sjögren’s syndrome, which often accompanies primary autoimmune diseases. In patients with Sjögren’s, the glands that produce tears and saliva are destroyed, which causes dry mouth and dry eyes. Dry mouth is not only uncomfortable, it also sets the stage for periodontal disease.
Discomfort from dry mouth, tender gums, cracked, peeling lips, and joint pain can make daily oral care difficult. We can make recommendations based on your individual challenges. For example, using an electric toothbrush may be of assistance to patients who have issues with manual dexterity, wearing a night guard to reduce pressure on your temporomandibular joint, and using products to help stimulate salivary flow. In addition, patients with mouth and lip sores may find the foaming agent in some toothpastes (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) to be irritating. The good news is that there are non-foaming toothpastes available. If gum disease is present, we may recommend more frequent cleanings than the typical six-month schedule.
KEEP YOUR DENTIST INFORMED
Delivering great care to our patients starts before you even step into our office. Before your appointment, we send out a request to update your medical history. Please be sure to include all conditions and medications so we can review them prior to your visit. While it may seem like another chore added to your day, we promise it will just take a few minutes!
Questions? Reach out to us by phone at (781) 942-2020, by e-mail at info@drkhull.com, or by navigating to our Contact page.
Not a patient but would like to become one? Send us an Appointment Request!