{"id":30061,"date":"2026-08-13T20:25:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T17:25:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/?p=30061"},"modified":"2026-08-13T20:25:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T17:25:43","slug":"periodontitis-the-new-treatment-that-kills-harmful-bacteria-and-protects-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/?p=30061","title":{"rendered":"Periodontitis: The new treatment that kills harmful bacteria and protects teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new treatment approach from Japan is attempting to change the way periodontitis, one of the most common causes of tooth loss in adults, is treated. The method does not indiscriminately kill all oral bacteria, but instead selectively targets one of the key microorganisms associated with the disease, while preserving the beneficial bacteria that are essential for the balance of the oral microbiome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The findings by researchers at Nagoya University were published in the Journal of Translational Medicine (“Near infrared photo-bacterialflora modulation technology realized controlling periodontitis: modulation of disease-associated dysbiosis in oral microbiota using near infrared photo-antibacterial targeting therapy (NIR-PAT2<\/sup>)<\/a>“) and raise expectations for more precise and less burdensome treatments in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is the oral microbiome important?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our mouths are home to a complex ecosystem of microorganisms, most of which contribute to maintaining health. However, when their balance is disrupted, certain pathogenic bacteria can prevail, triggering chronic inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis plays a central role in periodontitis. Its presence is associated with the destruction of the tissues around the teeth and the loss of the bone that supports them. Conventional treatments, such as antibiotics and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, can reduce the microbial load, but they often also affect beneficial bacteria. This can further disrupt the microbiome and make it difficult to restore normal balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How was the experiment done?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new technique is based on a method that was originally developed for the treatment of cancer. Specifically, the researchers used specific antibodies that bind to the bacteria P. gingivalis. The antibodies were combined with a photosensitive dye and, when the complex was exposed to near-infrared light, it was activated and caused damage to the membrane of the pathogenic bacteria. In this way, the bacteria were neutralized without affecting other microbes or healthy gum cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The treatment was called NIR-PAT\u00b2 and was tested in both human cell cultures and experimental animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In laboratory experiments, the treatment selectively bound to the pathogenic bacteria, leaving the remaining bacteria and gum cells intact. In experimental models of periodontitis, the researchers observed a significant reduction in the loss of alveolar bone, i.e. the bone that holds the teeth in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, saliva analysis showed that P. gingivalis was reduced, while beneficial microorganisms, such as certain streptococci species, were maintained. In contrast, antibiotics and conventional photodynamic therapy affected both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next step before clinical application<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the results are encouraging, periodontitis is not caused by a single bacterium. It is a complex disease, involving many microorganisms and different mechanisms of inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scientists plan to use artificial intelligence to analyze data on oral bacteria, identify other critical pathogens, and better understand their interactions. The goal is to create personalized treatments in the future that target the microorganisms responsible for the disease in each patient, without destabilizing the entire oral ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The approach is of particular interest, as periodontitis has been associated with chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis. However, further studies and clinical trials are needed before the new treatment can be used in daily dental practice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new treatment approach from Japan is attempting to change the way periodontitis, one of the most common causes of tooth loss in adults,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,2993,2811],"tags":[8309,8308,2985,3318],"class_list":["post-30061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-life","category-wellness","tag-oral-treatment","tag-periodontitis","tag-teeth","tag-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30061"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30063,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30061\/revisions\/30063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.liberalglobe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}