Upcoming: Vaccine Administered via the Gums

A New Frontier in Vaccine Delivery

A recent breakthrough in vaccine technology could revolutionize the way immunizations are administered. Scientists have discovered that flossing between your teeth may not only clean your gums but also serve as a method to deliver vaccines, potentially offering a new and effective way to protect against infectious diseases.

Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the study titled “Floss-based vaccination targets the gingival sulcus for mucosal and systemic immunisation” presents a novel technique developed by researchers from North Carolina State University, Texas Tech University, and other collaborating institutions. The team successfully used dental floss to deliver vaccines through gum tissue, triggering a strong immune response at critical infection entry points such as the mouth, nose, and lungs.

The technique specifically targets the junctional epithelium, a unique and permeable layer of gum tissue located between the teeth and gums. This area is more permeable than other epithelial tissues and is a mucosal layer, making it an ideal site for vaccine delivery. According to Dr. Harvinder Singh Gill, senior author of the study and professor of nanomedicine at NC State, this offers a unique opportunity to stimulate enhanced antibody production across the body’s mucosal surfaces.

In laboratory tests, researchers applied a flu vaccine to unwaxed dental floss and used it to floss the gums of mice. The results showed a robust immune response, which was more effective than existing oral vaccines and comparable to nasal vaccines, without the associated risks such as the possibility of the vaccine reaching the brain.

The method was also tested with other types of vaccines, including mRNA, inactivated virus, and protein-based vaccines. All of these triggered strong antibody responses both in the bloodstream and at mucosal sites like the lungs and nose. Unlike traditional injections, this technique delivers antibodies directly to the frontlines where many viruses first strike, improving the body’s ability to prevent infection before a pathogen even enters the body.

To explore whether this approach could work in humans, the research team conducted a small pilot test with 27 volunteers. Using floss picks coated with fluorescent dye (as a substitute for a vaccine), participants attempted to apply the substance into their gum pockets. The results were encouraging: about 60 percent of the dye reached the junctional epithelium, suggesting that floss picks could be a viable tool for vaccine delivery.

While the idea of self-administered vaccines through flossing may seem futuristic, researchers believe the method has real-world potential, especially in addressing vaccine hesitancy and improving access in low-resource settings. "It's easy to administer, doesn't involve needles, and should be comparable in price to existing methods," said Gill.

However, the technique is not without challenges. It likely won’t work for infants and toddlers who don’t have teeth yet, and researchers still need to study how it would perform in individuals with gum disease or oral infections. Despite these challenges, the team remains optimistic about the future of this innovative approach to vaccination.

This groundbreaking discovery highlights the potential of using everyday tools in unexpected ways to improve public health. As research continues, the possibility of floss-based vaccination could become a significant advancement in the field of immunology.