Gout And Osteoarthritis

Question 1

What are some signs and symptoms of joint disease

Answer 1

Pain, stiffness and loss of function

Swelling
Deformity
Redness

Question 2

What is a monoarthropaty? What causes it?

Answer 2

Acute arthritis of a single joint
- often caused by infection or gout

Question 3

What is gout? What causes it? Where is the usual site? Treatment?

Answer 3

Deposition of Uric acid into joint
- causing significant pain and inflammation

Caused by hyperuricaemia, within rapid onset

Usually the big toe

Treated with potent NSAIDS or allopurinol

Question 4

What can cause hyperuricaemia? What can make it worse

Answer 4

• drugs - thiazide diuretics
• nucleic acid breakdown - from chemotherapy
• genetic predisposition

Obesity and alcohol can make it worse

Question 5

How may gout influence dental treatment?

Answer 5

Aspirin affects uric acid removal

• drug treatments for gout can cause oral ulceration

(Allopurinol)

Question 6

What is osteoarthritis?

Answer 6

A degenerative joint disease often affecting weight bearing joints
- hips and knees

Question 7

Symptoms /signs of osteoarthritis?

Answer 7

Symptoms
- pain that improves with rest
- brief morning stiffness
- progressive symptoms over years

Signs
- radiographs that show loss of joint space
- joint swelling

Question 8

Treatment of osteoarthritis?

Answer 8

Cannot alter disease progression

Treat symptoms by
- lose weight
- strengthen muscles around joint
- walking aids
- prosthetic replacement for pain

Question 9

Dental implications of osteoarthritis?

Answer 9

TMJ can be involved - but rare

Chronic NSAID use - oral ulceration and bleeding risk