THURSDAY, March 31, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- A new study sheds light -- blue light, to be exact -- on a new way to combat oral bacteria associated with gum disease.
"Some of the key bacterial pathogens associated with periodontitis produce and accumulate compounds that are sensitive to light," principal investigator Dr. Nikos Soukos, director of the Applied Molecular Photomedicine Laboratory at the Forsyth Institute in Boston, said in a prepared statement.
"We found that, when exposed to particular wavelengths of light, a percentage of those pathogens was eradicated within seconds," Soukos said.
The finding suggests that blue light may be useful in preventing, controlling or treating periodontitis, which can result in the loss of bone and teeth. The study appears in the April issue of the Journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
The study also found that while this light treatment killed off harmful pathogens, it also increased the proportion of potentially helpful bacteria.
"It might one day be feasible to use light to restore a healthy bacterial balance in the mouth," Soukos speculated.
More information
The American Academy of Periodontology has more about gum disease.
