Coated floss allows delivery throughout the JE. credit: Natural Biomedical Engineering (2025). doi:10.1038/s41551-025-01451-3
Flossing your teeth at least once a day is an important part of your oral health routine. However, scientists may one day protect other parts of the body as they used a special type of floss to create a needle-free vaccine approach for novels.
In research Published in Natural Biomedical Engineeringresearchers demonstrated when floss laces it vaccine Ingredients such as proteins and inactive viruses were applied along the murine gum strain, which triggered the trigger Immune response.
This method of vaccine delivery is effective because the gum area between teeth is highly permeable and allows easy absorption of vaccine molecules.
Flossmouth
In the experiment, the researchers flossed 50 mice every 2 weeks for 28 days, but this was not an easy task. To floss each mouse, one person had to gently pull his chin down from the keychain with a metal ring, while another flossed.
Four weeks after the final vaccine dose, the mice were exposed to a fatal flu strain. All rodents who received the floss-based vaccine survived while the unvaccinated animals were dead. Furthermore, mice that were flossed had a broader immune response throughout the body. It was detected in feces, saliva and even feces. Bone marrow.
Finding antibodies in the bone marrow suggests that the mouse body has established a long-term immune response. Researchers also saw an increase in T cells (the type of immune cells that fight infections). mouseLungs and spleen of the
Next, the researchers wanted to see if floss was a viable approach for humans. So they asked 27 healthy volunteers to floss with dental picks coated with food dyes. On average, the dye reached the gums around 60% of the time.
Overcoming the hurdles
The mouth and nose are the main entry points for many viruses; Oral cavity An ideal site for vaccine delivery. However, scientists face major hurdles when developing needle-free vaccine alternatives in these areas for their bodies’ tough defenses against foreign invaders. A floss-based approach could bypass these challenges and provide a promising new way of doing things.
“These findings establish floss-based vaccinations as a simple needle-free strategy that enhances vaccine delivery and immune activation compared to existing mucosal immunization methods,” the researchers wrote.
This innovative approach to vaccine delivery offers many other benefits. One of the most convincing things is that it can improve vaccine intake, especially among those who are afraid of needles. Additionally, floss-based vaccines do not require special transport and storage at cold temperatures. They can be easily delivered by mail. This will help with rapid mass vaccinations during the pandemic.
Written for you by our author Paul Arnold,edit Gabby Clarkand fact-checked and reviewed Andrew Zinin– This article is the result of the work of a careful human being. We will rely on readers like you to keep independent scientific journalism alive. If this report is important, consider a Donation (Especially every month). You’ll get No ads Account as a thank you.
detail:
Rohan SJ Ingrole et al, floss-based vaccinations target the gingival sulcus for mucosal and systemic immunity. Natural Biomedical Engineering (2025). doi:10.1038/s41551-025-01451-3
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