How to Keep Your Gums Healthy as You Age

You train to stay strong, eat to support your goals, and track how well you recover. Looking after your gums belongs in that routine, too. The payoff is practical: protecting the teeth you use every day and keeping meals comfortable as you age.

Dr. Arthur Glosman, DDS, a cosmetic and restorative dentist in Beverly Hills, sees an opportunity for health-conscious men to give their mouths the same attention they give their fitness.

"They know their testosterone, VO2 max, resting heart rate, sleep score, cholesterol and body fat percentage," he says. "Then I ask when they last had their gums measured and I get a blank stare."

Gum disease is common. National survey data collected from 2009 to 2014 estimated that 50.2 percent of U.S. men age 30 and older with natural teeth had periodontitis, a form of gum disease that damages the tissues and bone supporting teeth. The estimate was 42.2 percent across adults overall. NIDCR prevalence data

Those figures make a good case for paying attention. Early gum inflammation can often be reversed, and more advanced disease can be treated and managed.

What Should You Ask at a Gum-Health Check?

Start with a straightforward question at your next appointment: How healthy are my gums?

"You cannot properly evaluate periodontal health just by looking at the gums," Glosman says. "People sometimes think the cleaning is the exam. It isn't. Cleaning the teeth is maintenance."

A dentist or hygienist uses a small probe to measure the spaces between your teeth and gums. Healthy pockets are usually 1 to 3 millimeters deep; deeper pockets can indicate disease. Those measurements are interpreted alongside bleeding, recession, tooth stability, and X-rays when needed to assess bone loss. NIDCR guidance

Ask whether you have gingivitis or periodontitis, whether anything has changed since your last visit, and which areas need more attention at home.

Your follow-up schedule should reflect your needs.

"The schedule should follow the patient, not the other way around simply because that's what we've done for 50 years," Glosman says.

Can Early Gum Disease Be Reversed?

Gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, can usually be reversed with professional care and consistent plaque removal at home. Periodontitis requires treatment to control disease and protect the structures supporting your teeth. American Dental Association guidance

"Gingivitis is generally reversible," Glosman says. "Bone loss from periodontitis is not something that simply comes back because you finally started flossing on Monday."

That distinction makes early attention useful—even when your mouth feels fine.

"The tricky thing about gum disease is that it can be doing damage without hurting. That's why so many people miss it," he says. "Pain is not a great early warning system in dentistry."

Bleeding is one reason to check in.

"Bleeding gums are common. That doesn't mean they're normal," Glosman says.

Bleeding can also happen when you brush too hard, start a new flossing routine, or take certain medications. Use a gentle technique and arrange a dental appointment if bleeding happens regularly or concerns you. Swelling, persistent bad breath, or loose teeth also warrant evaluation. ADA guidance on bleeding gums

How Can Gum Treatment Support Diabetes Care?

The connection between diabetes and periodontal disease is one of the more established links between oral and overall health.

"This is actually one of the strongest mouth-body relationships we have," Glosman says. "Diabetes can make periodontal disease worse, and periodontal inflammation can make blood sugar control more difficult. So it appears to work in both directions."

A 2022 Cochrane reviewfound moderate-certainty evidence that periodontal treatment improved blood-sugar control in people with diabetes and periodontitis. At three to four months, results from 30 trials involving 2,443 participants showed an average HbA1c reduction of 0.43 percentage pointscompared with no active treatment or usual care. Most participants had type 2 diabetes. Cochrane review

HbA1c reflects average blood sugar over roughly three months. The treatment involved professional cleaning beneath the gumline; the finding doesn't establish that flossing alone produces the same benefit.

"That doesn't mean your hygienist replaces your endocrinologist," Glosman says. "It means the gums are another piece of the metabolic puzzle."

For someone managing diabetes, dental care can be a useful part of the wider treatment plan.

What Does Research Show About Gum Health and Your Heart?

Researchers have found an association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. A December 2025 American Heart Association scientific statement describes that connection, while noting that causation has not been confirmed and there is no direct evidence that periodontal treatment prevents cardiovascular disease. American Heart Association statement summary

"What we cannot honestly say is that gum disease directly causes heart attacks," Glosman says. "People with periodontal disease may also have diabetes, smoke, have poor diets, be older."

His advice is to take gum health seriously while keeping the evidence in perspective.

"I'm not going to tell a patient that flossing is the same thing as taking a statin," he says. "Good science doesn't need to be exaggerated to be interesting."

He takes the same approach to inflammation.

"If someone has significant periodontal disease, they have a chronic inflammatory condition involving a surprisingly large area of tissue," Glosman says. "It's reasonable to think that can contribute. But I would never tell someone every health problem they have started in their gums."

What About Gum Health and Memory?

The research is worth following, but it doesn't establish that flossing prevents dementia.

A 2025 umbrella review found associations between periodontitis, tooth loss, and cognitive disorders. Evidence certainty varied across outcomes, and the underlying observational research cannot establish that improving oral health prevents cognitive decline. Systematic umbrella review

"We still don't know whether poor oral health contributes to cognitive decline, whether cognitive decline leads to poorer oral hygiene, or whether both are happening at the same time," Glosman says.

His practical advice remains grounded in the benefits already worth pursuing.

"Would I tell someone to take care of their gums as part of healthy aging? Absolutely," he says. "Would I tell them flossing prevents Alzheimer's disease? No. We are not there scientifically."

Which Dental Tools Are Worth Using?

Choose tools that make effective daily care easier.

Both manual and electric toothbrushes can work well when used properly. A Cochrane review found that powered brushes reduced plaque and gingivitis more than manual brushes on average, although the long-term importance for dental health remained unclear. ADA home-care guidance , Cochrane toothbrush review

For Glosman, the best tool is "the one you will actually use correctly."

"A $300 toothbrush sitting on your bathroom counter is still just expensive furniture," he says.

Mouthwash can have a useful supporting role, depending on the ingredients and your needs. Fluoride rinses help prevent tooth decay, while certain antimicrobial rinses help control plaque and gingivitis alongside brushing and cleaning between teeth. ADA mouthwash guidance

"The mouth is an ecosystem. We are not trying to sterilize it," Glosman says.

As for claims that antibacterial mouthwash harms blood pressure, a systematic review published online in 2023 pooled five trials and found no statistically significant overall increase. However, results varied considerably between studies, so the findings do not settle the question for every product or user. Mouthwash and blood-pressure review

Ask your dentist whether a rinse would help you and how to use it.

Build a Daily Routine You Can Maintain

The foundation is straightforward:

• Brush twice daily for two minuteswith fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush.

• Clean between your teeth every day.Ask your dental team which tool and technique suit your mouth.

• Keep your recommended dental appointmentsand follow any periodontal treatment plan.

• If you smoke, seek support to quit.Smoking increases gum-disease risk and can make treatment less successful.

These habits support plaque control and ongoing gum care. ADA daily-care guidance , NIDCR gum-disease guidance

If you're restarting flossing after a break, be gentle.

"Often the floss is simply revealing inflammation that was already there," Glosman says.

Regular, spontaneous, or concerning bleeding should be checked rather than accepted as part of the routine.

Keep the Long-Term Goal Practical

"Teeth are not just there so you can smile in photographs," Glosman says. "They allow you to chew food properly."

Tooth loss and other oral-health problems can affect food choices and make a varied diet harder to maintain. Preserving comfortable chewing is a meaningful part of healthy aging. Oral Health in America

"I want my patients to reach 80 with enough healthy teeth and enough bite strength to eat whatever they want," Glosman says. "Still being able to enjoy a steak and a salad at 80 is pretty good too. That is healthspan to me."

Your next step can be simple: ask about your gums at your next dental visit and leave with a plan you understand.

Health disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not replace professional dental or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your dentist or another qualified healthcare professional about symptoms, treatment options, and your individual health needs.

Expert source: Dr. Arthur Glosman, DDS, a cosmetic and restorative dentist in Beverly Hills. Quotes were supplied for this article; research supporting the discussion is linked throughout.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Dr. Glosman.

This story was originally published by Men's Fitness on Oct 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Fitness as a Preferred Source by clicking here.