Here, the science gets a little murky. “Unfortunately, to date, we cannot take collagen supplements and expect that they will help us to regrow receding gums or restore lost bone around our teeth,” says Whitman. “But providing your body and mouths with adequate amounts of collagen may very likely help us keep our smiles and jaws healthy for longer.*” 

Given the fact that collagen supplements have been shown to enhance bone density2 we can assume they can keep the bones in the periodontium supported as well.* Specific research on the periodontium remains untapped, likely because bone density is a bit more time-consuming to track (the bone turnover timeline is quite long). 

But collagen peptides have been shown to promote gum health: “There has been research demonstrating that a novel method using bovine collagen is able to enhance gum integrity3, resulting in thicker gums around the teeth and, in over half the cases, complete coverage of exposed roots,”* recounts Whitman. Of course, we need way more research on how this works, exactly, but the potential is certainly there. “Being able to regrow and regenerate gum and bone tissues around teeth would be revolutionary,” says Whitman.* 

Whitman also identifies hyaluronic acid as another promising area of research. Your body makes the buzzy humectant naturally, and it’s found in a wide range of areas—eyes, joints, skin, and, yep, your gums. “Within dentistry, hyaluronic acid has shown anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects,” says Whitman, and it even has the ability to help keep your gums healthy4.* Again, we need more studies on the HA-dental connection, but let’s not forget that hyaluronic acid can increase collagen production—which as we noted above, is important for your most optimal smile.* That’s why you can find hyaluronic acid in a host of collagen supplements to support your natural collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid levels in one fell swoop.*