Tooth Decay: Does DNA Determine It? Is Gum Disease Genetic?

DNA. Composed of two long, complementary polynucleotide chains, and four types of nucleotide sub-units.

Each DNA chain – also known as a strand – has a sugar-phosphate backbone; and all of it is held together by the shared electrons of hydrogen bonds. (Not to be confused with hydrogen bombs.) The distance between each nucleotide is 1 nanometre: one billionth of a metre.

Were a single strand of DNA stretched out, it would measure 2.2 metres in length.

The nucleus of a cell where DNA cosily resides has the diameter of 6μm – 6 millionths of a metre. A human hair is around 70. To spl of these microns. To split hairs rather than not split them, the size of a human cell is less than one-tenth the dimension of a shaft of hair from your head.

It’s is all incredible stuff. What makes it even moreso, is that the geometric equivalent of the DNA stored in a solitary cell is comparable to packing 40 kilometres of fine, fine thread inside a tennis ball.

There are 36 trillion cells in the average adult male; 28 trillion for women. For each trillion of those cells, is a billion kilometres of DNA.

As of February 2025, the space probe Voyager 1 is 25 billion kilometres from Earth. It left our planet on 5 September, 1977 and moves at 61,200kph. In almost exactly 48 years of non-stop travelling at this velocity, it’s still three billion kilometres short of the stretched DNA that’s currently spooled in the body of the last woman you saw.

Just when you thought humans, and astronomical distance weren’t fascinating enough, it gives sobering perspective to the obscene wealth of that Twitter guy. With one kilometre representing every buck he has, Voyager 1 has to keep hurtling through space until May, 2762: another 737 years and 3 months.

Maybe there’s duplicitous rapacity in his DNA.

After all, it’s the master plan that tells every single cell what to do, how to do it and how to keep it going. Four chemical bases formulate the language DNA uses to write the words of the human blueprint. It constantly replicates itself by copying slabs of what’s estimated to be the 3 billion bases that make up our body. Ninety-nine percent of these are completely identical in everyone. Only 1% is unique to you: meaning the base difference between all of us is just 30,000,000 genetic expressions.

It’s not much. Yet to each of us, it’s everything.

Chromosomes – of which we each have 23 pairs (Thanks Mum! Thanks Dad!) carry the DNA that maintains the overall physical and chemical structure of our modern Homo sapien form.

Genes are segments of DNA that hold the novel outline of the narrative of us long before we’ve authored our own first line.
Genetic conditions are diseases as a result of an abnormal DNA segment. It may be inherited, or it can randomly mutate by incorrectly copying during the cell division of the making of you; with no history of it in your family.

That can be the unlucky part of lucky you; and there are thousands of these type of disorders. Everything is intricately influenced by our genetics. So dental health definitely doesn’t get a pass.

With it being so responsible for the development, shape, and resilience of our teeth, recent research indicates that up to 65% of the variation between people with tooth decay and those without, is inextricably linked to hereditary factors.

More prodigiously, is the undeniable verification that a known immune-related gene is connected to the currently incurable, chronic inflammation of periodontitis. Hand-in-hand with this, are the antimicrobial properties and the ability of saliva to neutralise bacteria-produced acids; all heavily underlining the genetic complexity of gum disease.

These breakthrough findings highlight the pivotal role of genetics in a person’s susceptibility to dental issues, and oral health vulnerabilities.

It’s kind of a relief, isn’t it?

Understandably. There’s vindication. The not-my-fault element we like to fall back on when things don’t go the way we imagined: like not having healthy gums and a confident smile in which to be proud. Understanding that it’s predicated by our DNA brings a back of the hand swipe across the forehead, a silent “phew” resounding in our head.

Not so fast my friend.

Absolutely, genetics deals the cards. We, however, still hold the choice in how we play them.

The predispositions may be there, but in many instances within the game of life, nurture outbids nature. It’s the old thing of it’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you do with it.

Even without knowing whatever bias your precise genetic code proposes, lifestyle is the ultimate amplifier or nullifier.

We’re well versed in the risk factors of alcohol and tobacco use in terms of general health – teeth and gums are not separate to that; even simply the impairment to circulation. At the very least, healthy gums need good blood flow to keep teeth anchored where they should be.

The value of good nutrition goes without saying except to say it doesn’t need to be said.

Above all else in challenging – and often defying – the genetic oral health lottery odds, is ensuring an imperceptible, long, complementary chain bonding you to your dentist. Have the distance of six months as far as it will stretch. Decide that DNA isn’t simply the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, it’s shorthand for Dentist Not Avoidance.

And keep replicating that.

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Note: All content and media on the  Sunbury Dental House website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

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