Rodriguez said he never chewed tobacco while playing in the MLB, but was an avid sunflower seed consumer
Alex Rodriguez revealed he’s been diagnosed with early-stage gum disease during a morning show segment on Wednesday.
Rodriguez, 47, joined the hosts of CBS News for the announcement and to discuss the importance of dental health.
“Looks can be deceiving,” the former Yankees star said in response to a compliment about his smile at the start of the segment.
“I just recently went to see my dentist and not thinking anything about any gum disease,” Rodriguez said on the show. “And the dentist tells me the news, and then I come to find out over 65 million Americans have this gum disease.”
The diagnosis inspired Rodriguez to partner with OraPharma to raise awareness around dental wellness.
He urged viewers to be proactive about dental hygiene. “It’s important for all the viewers watching, all Americans,” to take care of their teeth, he continued.
Nearly half of Americans over age 30 have some form of gum disease, with an even higher average for people after age 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventio
The Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner didn’t know what led to his diagnosis, but he explained that the issue is “prevalent in our Black and Brown communities, and especially my Latino community,” during the segment.
Rodriguez said he never chewed tobacco while playing in the MLB, but was an avid sunflower seed consumer.
He recalled one of his mentors, Tony Gwen, who Rodriguez described as “one of the great, great icons of baseball,” passing away after “a lot of tobacco use,” according to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez shared a clip of the segment on his Instagram account on Wednesday.
“I’m excited to be back in my home city for a day full of interviews about my new campaign with OraPharma and arestin_pi,” he wrote in the caption.