The impact of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in adults and older adults on clinical dental outcomes: A systematic review

The aim of this study was to determine the association between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid and major dental health outcomes - dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis and plaque accumulation - in adults and older adults (aged 18 years and above) by way of a systematic review. The review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and reported following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The search strategy was applied to MEDLINE (via Ovid), EMBASE, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), CINAHL and Web of Science, based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. After removing duplicates and screening titles, abstracts and full texts, 36 studies were included. These underwent data extraction and quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Frequency distributions were calculated for dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis and plaque. Findings indicate a consistent trend of poorer oral health among individuals with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid, particularly in relation to periodontitis and plaque accumulation. Significant associations were observed for clinical attachment loss, periodontal pocket depth and plaque-related outcomes, suggesting a link between arthritis and periodontal disease, as well as the detrimental impact of arthritis on oral hygiene maintenance. The results highlight the need for integrated care between medical and dental professionals. Individuals with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid should receive tailored oral health education and preventive interventions to reduce their heightened risk of oral disease. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies, standardized outcome measures and adjustment for key confounders to clarify the direction and strength of this relationship.