Finnish scientists from Aalto University and Helsinki University Hospital have invented a new way to prevent tooth decay, gingivitis, periodontitis and other dental diseases. It consists of rinsing the mouth and wearing a special mouth guard that kills the bacteria that are the root cause of these diseases.
Nearly every person in the world gets cavities in their teeth at some point in their lives, and about 70% of the world’s population experience varying degrees of gingivitis.
As you know, the main cause of such diseases are Streptococcus mutans bacteria and other bacteria that cause gingivitis. To destroy them, the device should able to apply a double exposure to light waves of the red and blue spectrum.
First, the mouth must be rinsed with a special liquid for 30 seconds. The rinsing agent has the ability to attach to dental “plaques” formed by microbes. The composition of the “dental elixir” includes a substance with photosensitivity.
Next, a special mouth guard containing sources of red and blue light is put on the teeth. Red light activates the photosensitive component of the rinse aid, resulting in a chemical reaction that causes the death of bacteria. Blue light(bactericidal), additionally kills harmful microorganisms. Previously, light was used in dental practice to kill harmful microorganisms. But bacteria can protect themselves from blue light using a variety of sugars. However, they cannot protect themselves from the combination of a solution and the wavelength of double light, which affects the internal structures of bacteria.
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