A huge study from Umeå University in Sweden has found that both your genes and your daily habits—like your weight, how much school you’ve had, and even your personality—can affect your chances of getting tooth decay and gum disease.
Tooth decay (also called cavities) and gum disease (also called periodontitis) are very common problems. If they are not treated, they can cause pain, tooth loss, and even lead to other health problems.
Scientists have long believed that genes might play a role in who gets these problems, but it’s been hard to find clear proof. That’s because many other things also matter, like what you eat, how often you brush your teeth, and whether or not you smoke.
To get better answers, the researchers looked at data from nine different studies involving 62,000 people. They also used health data from the UK Biobank, which includes information from over 460,000 people who answered questions about their dental health.
This made the study the biggest one ever done on how genes and dental problems are connected. The team looked at millions of spots in people’s DNA to see if certain genes were linked to bad teeth or gum infections.
They found 47 new genes linked to tooth decay and confirmed that one important immune-related gene plays a big role in gum disease. This helps explain why some people get cavities or gum infections even if they brush and floss every day.
The genes they found do many different jobs. Some help with building teeth and jaw bones. Others help make saliva, which protects your teeth. Some even affect the kinds of bacteria that grow in your mouth.
Saliva is very important because it washes away food bits and fights off acids that can damage your teeth. If your saliva doesn’t work well, your risk of tooth decay goes up.
For gum disease, the study showed that the immune system has a big effect. Gum disease is really an infection, so if your immune system doesn’t work right—either too strong or too weak—it can harm the gums. This can cause swelling, bleeding, and over time, your teeth can become loose or fall out.
Another surprising thing the researchers found was a link between tooth decay and some risk factors for heart disease, like smoking and being overweight. This shows that what happens in your mouth is connected to the health of your whole body.
It’s a reminder that keeping your mouth healthy is not just about looking good. It’s also about staying healthy overall.
Even with these new discoveries, the best ways to protect your teeth haven’t changed. Brushing twice a day, flossing, and eating less sugar are still the most effective ways to avoid cavities and gum disease.
This research is important because it shows that dental health depends on both your habits and your genes. In the future, people with a higher genetic risk might get special treatments or advice to help prevent problems before they start.
The study was led by Ingegerd Johansson and published in the journal Nature Communications. It shows that taking care of your teeth is a big part of staying healthy—and that science may soon offer new ways to protect your smile.
If you care about tooth health, please read studies about an important causes of tooth decay and gum disease, and common tooth disease that may increase risks of dementia.
For more health information, please see recent studies about mouthwash that may increase your tooth damage, and results showing this diet could help treat gum disease.
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