A new topical gel has been developed which changes the makeup of bacteria in the mouth, in turn suppressing inflammation and halting gum disease.

NYU College of Dentistry researchers conducted tests on mice using human cells and plaque.

Periodontitis, or gum disease, is marked by three key components:

  • Inflammation
  • Imbalance of unhealthy and healthy mouth bacteria
  • Destruction of supportive tissues

Speaking to EurekaAlert! Yuqi Guo, an associate research scientist in the Department of Molecular Pathobiology at NYU Dentistry and the study’s co-first author commented, “No current treatment for gum disease simultaneously reduces inflammation, limits disruption to the oral microbiome, and prevents bone loss. There is an urgent public health need for more targeted and effective treatments for this common disease.”

Previous research has linked succinate (a molecule produced during metabolism) to gum disease. Yuqi Guo’s team discovered in 2017 that elevated levels of “succinate activate the succinate receptor and stimulate bone loss.” The team therefore hopes that by targeting inflammation and bone loss via succinate they will be able to stop gum disease in it’s tracks.

The gel they developed was tested in labs on human gum cells with great results. Reduced inflammation and processes leading to bone loss were noted.

By testing mice with gum disease the study was able to prove that the gel could reduce “local and systemic inflammation and bone loss in a matter of days.”

Research is continuing as the team hopes to identify the appropriate dosage and timing for application through animal trials. The long-term goal is to develop an easy at home gel for individuals at risk of, or with developing, gum disease. A slow release version that can be used by dentists to apply to pockets formed during gum disease is also being investigated.

“Current treatments for severe gum disease can be invasive and painful. In the case of antibiotics, which may help temporarily, they kill both good and bad bacteria, disrupting the oral microbiome. This new compound that blocks the succinate receptor has clear therapeutic value for treating gum disease using more targeted and convenient processes,” said Xin Li, professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU Dentistry and the study’s lead author.

Read the full study here:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111389

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