Severe Periodontitis Linked to Osteoarthritis in Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

A study published in Arthritis Care & Research significantly associated severe periodontitis with osteoarthritis (OA) in middle-aged and older individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), reports Rheumatology Advisor . The implication is that oral inflammation in people with periodontitis may be partially involved in the pathogenesis of OA, especially among those with T2D. The researchers analyzed data from the 2008 to 2015 cross-sectional Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, involving 3,527 individuals age 50 or older. Those with T2D were more likely to have OA as the severity of their periodontitis rose, yet this connection was not seen among individuals without T2D. The researchers determined that additional research was necessary to determine the precise mechanism that links periodontitis to OA.