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scientists are using light therapy to prevent gum disease

the largest gingivitis study in europe is finding that antibacterial light therapy may be a way to supercharge oral health.

by karen hawthorne

published oct 14, 2022

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease that causes redness, swelling and overall irritation of the part of your gum around the base of your teeth. getty

the largest gingivitis study in europe has revealed that brushing your teeth regularly doesn’t remove enough of the plaque that can lead to gum disease. researchers at the metropolia university of applied sciences in finland have the results from the first three months of a three-year study investigating the effectiveness of a new dental care device for at-home care that will level-up your defence against the buildup of dangerous plaque.

the three-month report from metropolia university, available at preprints and soon to be published in dentistry journal, shows that eliminating the bacteria contained by dental plaque should be as vital a part of dental hygiene as brushing your teeth and flossing.

what is gingivitis?

gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease that causes redness, swelling and overall irritation of your gingiva, which is the part of your gum around the base of your teeth, according to the mayo clinic. when there is an accumulation of plaque, the bacteria can cause an infection.

almost half of adults over 30 have some kind of gum disease, and gingivitis can lead to more serious form called periodontitis, as well as tooth loss. the problem escalates when the bacteria that infect the gums also travels to blood vessels in other parts of your body, potentially causing blood vessel inflammation and damage, which heightens the risk of cardiovascular disease. gum disease has also been shown to increase blood sugar levels, raising the risk of diabetes.

the study, soon to be published in dentistry journal, shows that eliminating the bacteria contained by dental plaque should be as vital a part of dental hygiene as brushing your teeth and flossing, and light therapy is an effective way to do this.

“you can only remove half of the plaque by brushing your teeth — it’s no wonder cavities and gingivitis are among the most common diseases in the world,” professor timo sorsa from the department of oral and maxillofacial diseases at the university of helsinki said in a news release. “if we want to improve the results of dental care treatments, we need to focus on removing the plaque that is left on the teeth after brushing them.”

for the study, 200 patients are randomized to receive either non-surgical periodontal treatment (nspt) — basically, regular dental cleaning — or, nspt along with the use of an antibacterial light therapy device called lumoral, which targets and eliminates microscopic plaque.

the method is based on an antibacterial process that is part of the immune function of plants, according to the company’s website, when light-sensitive molecules are exposed to certain wavelengths of light, they produce a form of oxygen that targets and eliminates harmful bacterial cells. more than half of the study participants achieved healthy gums after only three months of antibacterial treatment.

so far, the study shows that 54 per cent of participants who used lumoral healed their gingivitis based on the bop (bleeding on probing) index, which was 2.5 times more than the control group that didn’t use the device. by comparison, only 22 per cent of participants in the control group had healthy gums after three months. and those who used lumoral had a significantly lower amount of plaque buildup, whereas the control group still had the same amount of plaque left after standard dental cleaning.

“our hypothesis was correct,” dr. tommi pätilä, one of the developers of lumoral, explained in the news release. “because 95 per cent of dental diseases are caused by bacteria in the plaque, regularly eliminating dental plaque improves dental hygiene, as well as prevents and treats dental and gum diseases.”

it’s another tool in the dental care tool box recommended as an addition — not a replacement — to brushing twice a day and daily flossing.

karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.

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karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

scientists are using light therapy to prevent gum disease

the largest gingivitis study in europe is finding that antibacterial light therapy may be a way to supercharge oral health.

what is gingivitis?

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scientists are using light therapy to prevent gum disease

the largest gingivitis study in europe is finding that antibacterial light therapy may be a way to supercharge oral health.

what is gingivitis?

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