A Bad Taste in Your Mouth
I have had psoriasis for 55 years and psoriatic arthritis for 25 years. It never ceases to amaze me what I can learn about my diseases.
I have been going to the dentist since the beginning of time. I had my first deep gum treatment at the age of 25. At the time, I didn’t understand why I had to do this and it was so painful back in the day that I didn’t want to do it ever again.
Connecting gum disease and psoriatic arthritis
My dentist is very proactive with my oral care mainly because I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and he knows the damage this disease can cause. Once the dentist explained that if I didn’t get this done that I would have periodontal disease, chipping, and teeth falling off.
That is a part of my life not to ignore. I have been getting this procedure done for the past 35 years every six months to ensure I have a healthy mouth. Over the years the procedures have improved. I’ve gotten used to them and they are not as painful.
Signs of periodontal gum disease
Is it a bad taste or do you have periodontal disease? Did you know that an autoimmune disease affects the oral cavity and have a negative effect on our mouths?
When I was talking to my doctor on one of my many visits he told me that brushing and flossing is good for the immune system and to keep my mouth clean. I did this anyway, but this gave me food for thought. Don’t walk around with a bad taste in your mouth.
Research on gum disease and psoriatic arthritis
I don’t want anything living in my mouth, but we all have bacteria that do grow. Research has shown that preventive screening is crucial in helping with some of the triggers we can get with having any autoimmune disease. Having a healthy mouth is so important to all of us.
I have had several cavities at one point in my life. My doctor told me that it was imperative that I didn’t get any inflammation or infections in my mouth. He stated that periodontal disease with psoriatic arthritis also can affect the structure that supports my gums.
I remember being in my early 20’s and a piece of hamburger got under my gums. I felt like all my teeth were being pulled at once. My gums were inflamed for a few weeks from the episode.
Maintaining healthy teeth and gums
I still have all my teeth but have had to have a couple of root canals and crowns. When I had to have this done the dentist said that my tooth nerves were so inflamed that he couldn’t calm them down. I was in so much pain that I didn’t care what he did.
I know many people with chronic autoimmune diseases and they don’t think much about good oral hygiene, but it’s a very important factor for us with these diseases.
I continue to go to my dentist appointments regularly and continue my oral screening because one infection may be a serious one that can put me in the hospital because of bacteria in the body.
Don't ignore symptoms in your mouth
Have you ever wonder why when we get a toothache or any kind of infection that it hurts us twice as much or so it seems. Psoriatic arthritis doesn't just affect one part of our body, it affects all parts of the body.
I would like to leave with you this thought when you think it’s a bad taste in your mouth; you need to look into it further because this bad taste in your mouth just may be affecting your psoriatic arthritis and making your flare-up ten times worst.
We want our whole body to be healthy and that means oral hygiene as well. Keeping your mouth clean and don’t let those small cavities just sit there. Take them seriously.
Join the conversation