You brush your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste twice every day. You floss to clean every millimeter of your teeth. You rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash for good measure. But still, every time you visit your dentist, you always seem to have cavities. Yet your friend who isn’t nearly as diligent about their oral hygiene always gets off scot-free. What’s going on? As it turns out, some people are just naturally more prone to getting cavities than others. Let’s examine five reasons why.

For most people, the month of February is all about finding that perfect gift for your significant other. For others, it’s about finding the best deals on discounted candy after Valentine’s Day. For your dentist, however, February is also Gum Disease Awareness Month. Because gum disease will affect more than half of Americans at some point in their lives, it’s important you maintain excellent gum health to keep this disease at bay. Here are a few foods you can eat to keep your gums in great condition.