God designed the human body to move. Regular physical activity strengthens muscles and bones, improves circulation, supports the immune system, and helps regulate blood sugar and inflammation. These whole-body benefits matter to the mouth because the gums, jawbones, and other tissues that support the teeth depend on the same systems. Research has found an association between regular physical activity and better periodontal health. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 studies found that people who exercised had a lower risk of periodontitis than inactive people, although the researchers noted that more studies are needed to determine cause and effect.¹,²
Exercise also matters to the bones that support the teeth. Bone is living tissue that is constantly being remodeled. Cells called osteoclasts remove old bone, while osteoblasts build new bone. Mechanical forces from physical activity are detected by bone cells and can stimulate signals that help regulate bone formation and resorption. Weight-bearing and resistance exercise are well-established ways to support bone health throughout the skeleton.³,⁴
The jaw has an important additional factor: the health of the gums and the tissues around the teeth. The bone supporting the teeth is called alveolar bone. When gum disease becomes a chronic inflammatory disease called periodontitis, inflammation can activate bone-resorbing cells and cause loss of this supporting bone. Therefore, exercise should not be presented as a way to rebuild bone that is being actively destroyed by untreated periodontal disease. Instead, good oral hygiene helps control the bacterial plaque and inflammation that threaten the supporting tissues, while regular physical activity supports healthy bone metabolism and the body's overall health.⁵,⁶
Exercise does not have to mean going to a gym. Walking, gardening, climbing stairs, active work, carrying groceries, dancing, and strength exercises can all add movement to daily life. For most adults, current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, along with muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week.⁷ A healthy mouth is not separate from a healthy body. Keep moving, care for your gums and teeth, and give your body the conditions it needs to maintain the health God designed it to have.
Footnotes
1. Li, Y., et al. (2023). The underlying relationship between exercise and the prevalence of periodontitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 15, 149. The review included 30 studies and found an inverse association between exercise and periodontitis (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77–0.91).
2. Ferreira, R. O., Corrêa, M. G., Magno, M. B., et al. (2019). Physical activity reduces the prevalence of periodontal disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 10, 234. The authors found a moderate level of evidence for an association between physical activity and lower periodontal disease prevalence, while emphasizing that causation had not been established.
3. Liu, J., et al. (2016). The mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on bone remodeling: Roles of bone-derived cytokines and microRNAs. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, 122(2), 131–139.
4. Wang, L., et al. (2024). Osteocyte-mediated mechanical response controls osteoblast differentiation and function. Frontiers in Physiology, 15. This review describes how mechanical loading from physical activity is sensed by osteocytes and translated into signals affecting osteoblasts and osteoclasts.
5. Nanci, A., et al. (2021). Mechanism of alveolar bone destruction in periodontitis—Periodontal bacteria and inflammation. Japanese Dental Science Review, 57, 201–208. The review explains how persistent periodontal inflammation promotes osteoclast activity and alveolar bone destruction.
6. Graves, D. T., et al. (2011). Inflammation and uncoupling as mechanisms of periodontal bone loss. Journal of Dental Research, 90(8), 999–1006. The authors describe how periodontal inflammation can disrupt the normal balance between bone formation and bone resorption.
7. World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. World Health Organization.
