Scientists use dental floss to deliver vaccines without needles

Flossing your teeth at least once a day is an essential part of any oral health routine. But it might also one day protect other parts of the body as scientists have created a novel, needle-free vaccine approach using a specialized type of floss.

In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers demonstrated that when floss laced with vaccine components, such as proteins and inactive viruses, was applied along the gum lines of mice, it triggered an immune response.

This method of vaccine delivery is effective because the areas of gum between the teeth are highly permeable, allowing them to absorb vaccine molecules easily.

Flossing mice

In the experiment, researchers flossed 50 mice every two weeks for 28 days, which wasn’t an easy task. To floss each mouse, one person had to gently pull their jaw down with the metal ring from a keychain while another did the flossing.

Sign up for Blog Updates