{"id":14868,"date":"2025-06-06T19:49:59","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T19:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/?p=14868"},"modified":"2026-01-08T19:39:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:39:21","slug":"is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Gum Disease in Your Genes? Here\u2019s What Science (and Your Dentist) Says"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg\" alt=\"Patient checking their gums for gum disease in the mirror\" class=\"wp-image-14869\" style=\"width:274px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Gum disease might not seem like the kind of thing you inherit, but for some patients, the risk can actually run in the family! If your parents or grandparents have struggled with bleeding gums, receding gumlines, or even tooth loss, you might be wondering, \u201cCould I be next?\u201d Continue reading to take a closer look at how genetics influence <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/gum-disease-treatment.html\">gum health<\/a> and see what you can do to stay one step ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Gum Disease Starts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before diving into matters of DNA, it helps to understand how gum disease works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also known as periodontal disease, this condition begins when plaque builds up along your gumline. If this sticky, bacterial substance isn\u2019t removed through brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar and triggers inflammation. Over time, this can damage the tissues and bone supporting your teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Symptoms of gum disease include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bleeding gums (especially after brushing)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Swollen or tender gums<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gum recession<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loose teeth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Persistent bad breath<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can Gum Disease Really Be Inherited?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Actually, yes! Research by the American Dental Association suggests there\u2019s a genetic component to periodontal disease. Some people are born with immune system traits that make them more prone to inflammation, while others may have inherited weaker connective tissue or a stronger response to plaque bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, this doesn\u2019t paint the whole picture. While it\u2019s true that genetics can make you more susceptible to gum disease, it doesn\u2019t make contracting it inevitable. What matters most is how well you take care of your mouth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What You Can Control to Prevent Gum Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if gum disease runs in your family, there\u2019s plenty you can do to prevent it, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flossing daily to remove plaque between teeth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Limiting or avoiding alcohol, tobacco products, and vaping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eating a balanced diet to support gum health<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seeing your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If your dentist knows gum disease is in your family, they can customize your care, possibly recommending more frequent visits or deep cleanings to stay ahead of any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gum disease can be sneaky, especially in its early stages. The sooner it\u2019s caught, the easier it is to treat. So, don\u2019t skip your checkups and be sure to talk to your dentist about your family history and any symptoms you\u2019ve noticed. A little prevention now can save you from serious gum trouble down the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you worried about your family\u2019s history of gum disease? Our team at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/about-us.html\">Westgate Dental Care<\/a> can help you achieve a clean bill of dental health. We believe prevention starts with understanding everything that makes your smile unique. Our team takes a personalized approach to gum health, helping you stay ahead of serious issues with advanced dental technology and techniques. Call (847) 577-7171 to schedule a gum disease consultation with us or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/\">visit our website<\/a> to explore other services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gum disease might not seem like the kind of thing you inherit, but for some patients, the risk can actually run in the family! If your parents or grandparents have struggled with bleeding gums, receding gumlines, or even tooth loss, you might be wondering, \u201cCould I be next?\u201d Continue reading to take a closer look [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is Gum Disease Genetic | Westgate Dental Care<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gum disease can affect anyone, but can you be more vulnerable because of your genes? Here\u2019s what science says.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Is Gum Disease Genetic | Westgate Dental Care\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Gum disease can affect anyone, but can you be more vulnerable because of your genes? Here\u2019s what science says.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"drkics\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344\"},\"headline\":\"Is Gum Disease in Your Genes? Here\u2019s What Science (and Your Dentist) Says\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-06T19:49:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-08T19:39:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":500,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/\",\"name\":\"Is Gum Disease Genetic | Westgate Dental Care\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-06T19:49:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-08T19:39:21+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344\"},\"description\":\"Gum disease can affect anyone, but can you be more vulnerable because of your genes? Here\u2019s what science says.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":533,\"caption\":\"Woman looking at her red gums in a mirror\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/06\\\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Is Gum Disease in Your Genes? Here\u2019s What Science (and Your Dentist) Says\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Westgate Dental Care Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344\",\"name\":\"drkics\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Is Gum Disease Genetic | Westgate Dental Care","description":"Gum disease can affect anyone, but can you be more vulnerable because of your genes? Here\u2019s what science says.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Is Gum Disease Genetic | Westgate Dental Care","twitter_description":"Gum disease can affect anyone, but can you be more vulnerable because of your genes? Here\u2019s what science says.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/"},"author":{"name":"drkics","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344"},"headline":"Is Gum Disease in Your Genes? Here\u2019s What Science (and Your Dentist) Says","datePublished":"2025-06-06T19:49:59+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-08T19:39:21+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/"},"wordCount":500,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/","url":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/","name":"Is Gum Disease Genetic | Westgate Dental Care","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg","datePublished":"2025-06-06T19:49:59+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-08T19:39:21+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344"},"description":"Gum disease can affect anyone, but can you be more vulnerable because of your genes? Here\u2019s what science says.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_636028233__1711476743_81906.jpg","width":800,"height":533,"caption":"Woman looking at her red gums in a mirror"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2025\/06\/06\/is-gum-disease-in-your-genes-here-is-what-science-says\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Is Gum Disease in Your Genes? Here\u2019s What Science (and Your Dentist) Says"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/","name":"Westgate Dental Care Blog","description":"","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344","name":"drkics"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14868"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14868\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14874,"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14868\/revisions\/14874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}