Generalized periodontal involvement in a young patient with systemic lupuserythematosus

Inflammation is considered to be a leading cause of morbidity in systemic l upus erythematosus (SLE), yet inflammatory periodontal involvement is rarel y encountered. A young lady suffering from active SLE accompanied by severe periodontal loss, manifested by gingival recession of all her teeth, was r eferred to our clinic for treatment. The association between periodontal in volvement and connective tissue diseases is unclear, and the literature dea ling with periodontal involvement in patients suffering from Sjogren's synd rome and rheumatoid arthritis is comprised of studies showing both normal a nd pathological periodontal status. We discuss the possible underlying mech anisms.