The role of bacterial infections in rheumatoid arthritis development and novel therapeutic interventions: Focus on oral infections

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents a primary public health challenge, which is a major source of pain, disability, and socioeconomic effects worldwide. Several factors contribute to its pathogenesis. Infections are an important concern in RA patients, which play a key role in mortality risk. Despite major advances in the clinical treatment of RA, long‐term use of disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs can cause serious adverse effects. Therefore, effective strategies for developing novel prevention and RA‐modifying therapeutic interventions are sorely needed. OBJECTIVE: This review investigates the available evidence on the interplay between various bacterial infections, particularly oral infections and RA, and focuses on some potential interventions such as probiotics, photodynamic therapy, nanotechnology, and siRNA that can have therapeutic effects.