Innovations in Oral Care

Oral health is essential to overall health and quality of life. The 3 most common oral diseases and disorders are dental caries, periodontal (gum) disease and dry mouth syndrome.
Worldwide, according to WHO, 60–90% of school children and nearly 100% of adults have dental caries. Streptococcus mutans, an oral streptococcus carried by virtually everyone, has been implicated as the principal etiological agent in human dental caries. Various researches have shown that egg yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) is highly effective in controlling S. mutans level in the mouth cavity and preventing dental caries.

Periodontal disease is highly prevalent and can affect up to 90% of the world population. Among periodontopathic bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis has been considered the most important pathogen. This bacterium produces a protease like enzyme called gingipain, which plays a major role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis by degrading various host proteins. Recently, by immunizing gingipain to layer chickens the Immunology Research Institute in Gifu (IRIG), Japan, successfully developed a new IgY preparation which showed good effect against periodontitis when combined with scaling and root planing (SRP).

Dry mouth is commonly caused by side effects of certain medications or infections, or unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, etc). Dry mouth increases a person’s risk of having oral candidiasis. Oral passive immunization with IgY against Candida albicans has been shown to be effective in reducing salivary Candida in infected animal model and in human volunteers. Recently an oral moisturising gel containing anti-C. albicans IgY was used to control the growth of C. albicans in oral cavity of elderly people. This fact indicates that IgY is an interesting novel tool to support oral health in older people.

Reference
1. Rahman Shofiqur et al. Oral passive immunotherapeutics, a novel solution for prevention and treatment of alimentary tract diseases. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 9:4 (1-10), 2013.
2. Takeuchi S et al., Effects of oral moisturising gel containing egg yolk antibodies against Candida albicans in older people. Gerodontology. 2014