Roughly 47% of American adults over 30 have some form of gum disease, according to CDC surveillance data, and periodontitis remains one of the two leading causes of adult tooth loss (alongside decay). Left untreated, it doesn't stay contained to the mouth, research has linked chronic gum inflammation to worse outcomes for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The good news: gingivitis, the earliest stage, is reversible. Daily flossing, twice-yearly professional cleanings, and treating bleeding gums as a warning sign rather than something to ignore are the three habits that catch it before it progresses.