Is gum disease hereditary?

Gum disease is a serious condition that can cause a patient numerous short term and long term problems. In the short term, it can result in bleeding in the gums and/or pain when brushing, whilst in the long term you can expect untreated gum disease to result in tooth loss on a major scale.

Gum disease can arise due to a number of reasons, with poor oral hygiene often being the biggest culprit. A poor diet which is heavily reliant on sugary foods and drinks, coupled with neglecting to properly brush your teeth or floss multiple times a day and after meals can exacerbate this situation.

However, unfortunately gum disease can also be hereditary and mean you are more likely to develop the issue. In fact, around 30% of people may be more predisposed to having Periodontal diseaseInflammatory process of the gingival tissues and/or periodontal membrane of the teeth, resulting in an abnormally deep gingival sulcus, possibly producing periodontal pockets and loss of supporting al, which can manifest itself as inflamed gums.

If gum disease does run in your family, we would recommend taking extra care with your dental hygiene routine. Please brush twice daily, and floss at least once a day as this will protect your gums from disease. Moreover, you should consider buying an electric toothbrush and always book, at least, bi-annual appointments with your dentist and a dental hygienist. Additionally, if you move or sign up to a new dentist, it is vital that you inform them of your family history of gum disease, as this could influence their inspection of your teeth and health of your gums.

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