Oral Mucosal Lesions and DMFT Index Assessment in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Birjand, Iran, in 2018

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may cause malfunction in the immune system and the inability to observe oral hygiene in patients due to physical deficits. A bacterial infection caused as such can constitute a significant risk factor for the development of systemic infection. The present study aimed to investigate the oral mucosal lesions, the DMFT index, and the Modified Gingival Index (MGI) in RA patients treated in Birjand city.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with 80 RA patients referred to rheumatology clinics of Birjand in 2018. Data were collected through observation, clinical examination, information forms, and medical records. After the patients were informed about the research purposes and signed consent forms for participation, they were examined at the rheumatology clinics. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 19).

Of the 80 patients, n = 64 (80%) had oral mucosal lesions. Dry mouth (66.3%) was the most common finding. The mean DMFT index score was 18.7.

Oral mucosal lesions and the mean DMFT index score seem to be at high levels in RA patients, possibly due to the complications of the disease or the consumed medications.