Scientists Discover Link Between Oral Damage and Joint Pain!
Going to the dentist for check-ups might be able to stop joint pain. Vicky Yao, a scientist from Rice University, found germs linked to gum diseases in samples that came from people with rheumatoid arthritis and didn’t know what it meant.
A scientist recently found a connection between arthritis and periodontitis. People who have one of these conditions may find that the other flares up, too. The research of this discovery was published in a journal called Science Translational Medicine.
Scientists have just discovered a connection between two diseases that could lead to helpful treatments for people with rheumatoid arthritis. This is a condition where the body’s own cells attack part of its joints, often leading to other health issues in the heart, lungs and eyes. It may also be useful in helping fight cancer.
Yao explained that experiments done on living organisms, cells, and tissues grown in Petri dishes provide crucial information for understanding different things. Also, this data may have more valuable insights that are not visible right away.
Yao had a feeling something was up, which she got confirmed when she studied data about rheumatoid arthritis patients collected by Dana Orange, who is a doctor and researcher, and Bob Darnell, who is also a doctor. Yao was working together with Orange and others on examining how rheumatoid arthritis can impact the expression of genes.
Orange and Darnell studied arthritis patients by noting down their data at different periods of time. They were looking for any pattern that could help them understand what contributes to these flares happening.
While I was studying, I heard a really interesting talk. It said that when you look at the data which is not normally seen or used, you can find bits and pieces of bacteria. I found this idea very exciting so I looked into it more. What I discovered was that the germs in samples that changed before someone got sick were mostly related to dental issues like gum disease.
I was very interested in this tool that can help identify types of microbes in humans. It was like getting information for free. At first, I hadn’t worked with any of this kind of data but then Dana put together a team to study these microscopic organisms.
Recently, scientists have been discussing an idea to create some kind of mouthwash that could help keep rheumatoid arthritis from getting worse. Yao has been researching cancer at Rice University since 2019 too. He’s looking for clues and trends in data that others might not have noticed before – just like he did with the arthritis research!
I was so intrigued by what we could discover if we searched through human samples for microscopic signs of life. Then, I decided to do the same thing with a research project about cancer.
We want to find out if there are any microbes or viruses that might be linked to cancer. If we identify them, maybe they’ll help us find new ways to detect the disease earlier and with less hurtful methods. Additionally, if certain types of microbes or viruses turn out to play a part in helping people survive cancer, then we can use this knowledge for predicting outcomes. Lastly, if research proves that something causes a type of cancer, then doctors may be able to use this knowledge for treating it better.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a bad bug that can give people cancer. Yao tested her idea by checking cervical cancer samples and she found the virus every time. This means she proved that it’s possible for certain types of cancer to be caused by viruses.
I’m keen on finding ways to take experimental data and interpret it better. Computational analysis helps us understand the data and suggests ideas that experts can try out.
Research published on February 22nd, 2023 in Science Translational Medicine reveals that oral mucosal breaks (such as cuts and abrasions) can cause arthritis. Scientists studied human proteins and bacteria to find out how these breaks trigger arthritis with the help of a team of 27 researchers. The findings showed that if your mouth has experienced any cuts, bruises or other damage, it increases your risk for developing arthritis.
This study was supported by lots of important organizations like the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Robertson Foundation and Rockefeller University as well as private foundations like the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation and the Iris and Jungming Le Foundation. Other groups who lent their support are the Rockefeller Clinical and Translational Science Award Program Pilot Award, the Rheumatology Research Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute.
