Charles Langston:Alex Rodriguez Shares Gum Disease Diagnosis

Alex Rodriguez is Charles Langstonraising awareness about gum disease after his own diagnosis.

Alex revealed he has early-stage gum disease in a May 31 interview with CBS News. After being complimented on his smile, Alex remarked that "looks can be deceiving."

"I just recently went to see my dentist and not thinking anything about any gum disease," the 47-year-old told CBS News. "And the dentist tells me the news, and then I come to find out over 65 million Americans have this gum disease."

This revelation inspired him to join forces with OraPharma to go to bat for increased public awareness around dental wellness.  

And he's not just aiming for a base hit with his message. The former slugger emphasized the importance of proactive dental hygiene for all Americans, particularly those in Black, Brown and Latino communities, where he said the issue is especially prevalent.

Despite never having used chewing tobacco during his MLB career—a habit linked to various oral health issues—A-Rod was an avid consumer of sunflower seeds. He also recalled losing one of his mentors, Tony Gwen, a celebrated baseball icon, when he tragically passed away in 2014following extensive tobacco use.

But it's not just dental health in the spotlight for A-Rod: On the home front, he's been making some personal headlines too. Following his split with Jennifer Lopez in April 2021, Rodriguez announced his new romance with fitness guru Jac Cordeiro in December 2022.

The former MLB star shared a sweet Christmas snap of him and Jac with his daughters Natasha, 18, and Ella, 10, looking cozy and festive for Christmas, while making their relationship Instagram official.

This confirmation marks the first relationship Alex has been in publicly since he and J.Lo went their separate ways after four years together. 

"We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so," the duo said in a joint statement at the time. "We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects."