Background and objective: Periodontal disease may be related to a number of systemic diseases. Periodontitis is an extrasynovial chronic inflammatory condition, which has been proposed to be interrelated with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the study to determine whether there is a relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease. Materials and methods: A total of 1600 individuals of 30 to 70 years of age and residents of Ankleshwar industry estate in Gujarat, India, were assessed for the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease. The prevalence and severity of periodontitis was determined by recording the community periodontal index (CPI) with loss of attachment based on WHO guidelines (1997). The criteria for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis are as given by the American Rheumatism Association 1988. Frequency distributions for bivariate analysis and logistic regression for multivariate analysis were used for assessment of statistical association between variables. Results: In patients referred for periodontal treatment, the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis was 4.5%. Females and subjects aged above 50 years showed a significantly higher prevalence in comparison to their counterparts (p < 0.05). The odds of rheumatoid arthritis in females were nearly three times (OR = 2.78) higher than males which was also statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings provide evidence for a relationship suggesting that individuals with moderate to severe periodontal disease are at higher risk of suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and vice versa.

Introduction: The success of orthodontic therapy depends upon the knowledge and clinical skills of the orthodontist as well as awareness and sincerity of the patient. Due to long treatment duration, commitment and good rapport between both sides is essential. This retrospective study was undertaken to understand the factors affecting the reasons for discontinuation after commencement of treatment in a Government run hospital. Materials and method: A telephonic questionnaire survey was conducted on 153 patients who had discontinued treatment midway and their responses were analysed. The subjects were divided into 3 groups depending upon their school going years. The major focus areas were -1. Reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment 2. Reasons for pursuing treatment in this hospital and 3. Reasons for discontinuation of orthodontic treatment. Results and conclusions: Long waiting period before starting the treatment, failure to give subsequent appointments by the doctor, and having to leave the city were found to be the three most common causes for discontinuation. To reduce the attrition rate a three step strategy was devised to ensure an improved orthodontic outcome for the patients and to see more smiling faces bid adieu each year.