Targeted light therapy treats gum disease while sparing healthy bacteria

Researchers at Nagoya University developed near-infrared photo-antibacterial targeting therapy (NIR-PAT²), which uses an antibody-dye compound to selectively destroy Porphyromonas gingivalis, the keystone bacterium in periodontitis, while leaving beneficial oral bacteria and healthy gum cells intact in cell culture and mouse models.

Testing so far is in human cell cultures and mouse models; clinical translation in humans will require further research.