Scientists at the University of California Irvine's Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic have conducted the first study to show that brushing with a novel toothpaste improves symptoms in patients with periodontitis.

While several recent studies show that individuals with chronic gum disease are more likely to experience potentially life-threatening complications if they contract COVID-19, a new study shows promise in addressing the main issue. Researchers at the UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic recently reported results of a six-month long study, showing for the first time that a novel toothpaste demonstrated medically significant improvements in the health of the gums of patients with periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease.1

As a part of her focus on translational research, Dr Petra Wilder Smith initiated a double-blinded study testing a novel dental gel, LivFresh Dental Gel, against an FDA-approved anti-gingivitis toothpaste, to investigate their effects on gum health in patients with early to moderate periodontitis. The six-month long study compared how the two toothpastes affected periodontal pocket depths, gingival inflammation, and gum bleeding in patients with periodontitis who were in maintenance care.

The findings revealed that subjects who brushed with LivFresh Dental Gel experienced clinically and statistically significant improvements in their symptoms versus the control group that brushed with an over-the-counter, FDA-approved anti-plaque, anti-gingivitis toothpaste.

Several previous laboratory and clinical studies by Wilder-Smith's group have demonstrated that the novel formulation retards on a molecular level dental plaque formation, attachment and re-accumulation at the tooth surface by increasing its negative charge. The charged surface prevents early individual plaque islands from coalescing into larger deposits, discourages plaque from attaching to the tooth surface and supports the breakup of existing plaque deposits. Thus, by inhibiting dental plaque, the novel formulation reduces the presence of the harmful plaque bacteria and bacterial products that are implicated in chronic gum disease.

In individuals who brushed with the test gel, pocket depths in the gums improved in more than 80% of diseased sites. Additionally, subjects who brushed with the new formulation had 2.5 times less gum inflammation and 1.9 times less gum bleeding, when compared to the group using the conventional toothpaste.

Dr Wilder-Smith said: 'We anticipate that this novel formulation, when used in combination with professional periodontal care, may revolutionise healing in the gums and maintenance of periodontal health'. Larger and longer studies are now in progress to solidify these findings.