New York: A new research conducted at the New York university claims that a gel, when applied to the gums can initiate a metabolic process where a byproduct named succinate, can be blocked, changing the biological makeup of bacteria in the mouth, reducing inflammation.
The research was conducted in mice, using human cells and plaque samples to determine the outcome of using conservative treatment methods for gum inflammation. The objective was to derive an over-the-counter method, simple to use at home remedy for the bacterial swelling.
"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," said Yuqi Guo, an associate research scientist in the Department of Molecular Pathobiology at NYU Dentistry and the study's co-first author.
Previous researches have drawn a link between rising succinate levels to gum inflammation. Succinate is the byproduct of metabolic activity in the gingiva, which results in inflamed gingivae.
Succinate and Gingival Inflammation
If not treated timely, inflammation in the gums, referred to as gingivitis, can eventually lead to bone loss and periodontitis, which can loosen the teeth, making them mobile. This can eventually lead to tooth loss.
For this reason, the researchers incorporated specific receptors in their gel formulation that can target the succinate in inflamed gums, and prevent succinate molecules from being activated. Thus reducing the swelling.
Lead author on the research, Xin Li said “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,"
