Light therapy stops tooth loss in dental patients with periodontal disease

Thursday, April 26, 2007 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: periodontal disease, dental health, health news

A light-activated germ killer slowed the progression of periodontal disease in rats over the short-term, according to a study conducted by researchers at Sao Paulo State University and published in the Journal of Periodontology. Researchers hope that this can eventually be adapted into a treatment for humans.

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What you need to know - Conventional View

• Periodontal disease is an infection of the gum tissue around the teeth, leading to inflammation of the gums, bone loss and loosening of teeth.

• Researchers induced periodontal disease into 120 rats, then divided them into four groups. One group was not treated, one group received low-level laser therapy, one group had methylene blue applied to its teeth and the fourth received a combination of methylene-blue and low-intensity-laser treatment ("photodynamic therapy").

• Methylene blue is a photosensitizer, meaning that it increases the sensitivity of an organism to light. It has mild microbe-killing properties, and this capacity increases when it is exposed to light.

• After five days, researchers found significantly less bone loss in the rats receiving photodynamic therapy than in those receiving no treatment, but no significant difference between photodynamic therapy and the other treatments.

• After 15 days, rats receiving photodynamic treatment had significantly less bone loss than those in the no-treatment and laser-only groups, but no difference from the methylene-blue-only group. After 30 days, there was no significant difference between any of the four groups.

• Quote: "This is an exciting finding. Photodynamic therapy could prove to be a preferable alternative to antibiotic therapy." - Dr. Preston D. Miller, Jr., president of the American Academy of Periodontology

What you need to know - Alternative View

Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, author of Natural Health Solutions and the Conspiracy to Keep You From Knowing About Them

• The effectiveness of light in killing bacteria is well established. Light therapy can be extremely useful in dental work. It's non-toxic, painless, safe and highly effective at killing bacteria in the mouth.

• You don't need expensive technology to save your gums. Simply sticking your tongue out at the sun and exposing your gums to sunlight for a few minutes each day can have much the same effect. Sunlight kills most of the strains of bacteria that grow in your mouth.

• Periodontal disease can also be directly controlled by avoiding the consumption of refined sugars (such as high-fructose corn syrup) or rinsing with an herbal-based dental rinse. I recommend (and use) products from The Natural Densist: www.TheNaturalDentist.com

Resources you need to know

• Another outstanding product for outright eliminating periodontal disease and supporting health gums is called Dental Miracle. I've used it for years and strongly recommend it to everyone for gum health. It's a powder you sprinkle on your toothbrush before brushing. See it at: www.DentalMiracle.com

Bottom line

• In a recent study, photodynamic therapy caused a short-term slowing of bone loss in rats infected with periodontal disease.