Gum disease is an insidious little menace that has an uncanny ability to sneak up on a person, and it becomes even more likely at older ages. In fact, gum recession is the dental ailment most frequently found in older people, giving rise to the term “long in the tooth.” While your risk of developing gum disease increases with age, it is not inevitable. Here are some of the reasons why older people develop gum disease and what you can do to prevent it.