Dental Asia March/April 2023

IN DEPTH WITH
Severe dental problems in children
on the rise: Finnish innovation
keeps tooth decay
at bay
Up to 20% of children have a virulent strain of
Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) in their mouths,
which has a greater ability to cause severe tooth
decay. Finnish health technology company Koite
Health has launched Lumoral Junior, a method
for targeted removal of dental plaque to improve
children’s declining oral health.
Lumoral Junior is an anti-bacterial oral cleaning
method developed for children’s needs
Lumoral Junior is a technology for improved
oral health self-care developed to suit
children’s needs. It aims to improve children’s
oral care and provide a good starting point
for oral health in adulthood. The method was
developed by Finnish researchers with the
aim of eliminating harmful bacteria in the
mouth to treat and prevent oral diseases.
Dr Heikki Alapulli, paediatric dentist at New
Children’s Hospital of HUS
Oral diseases differ from other diseases in
that they are largely preventable. Despite
this, caries and gingivitis are very common
diseases in children. By influencing oral
conditions through diet, oral hygiene and
fluoride, children can be assured of good oral
health through simple daily activities.
Oral health is a balance between factors that
protect against disease and those that make it
possible to contract it. “Regular eating habits,
thorough mechanical brushing of teeth to
remove bacteria from the mouth and regular
use of fluoride all protect against tooth decay,”
said Dr Heikki Alapulli, paediatric dentist at
HUS New Children’s Hospital.
Frequent consumption of high-carbohydrate
foods or sugary drinks combined with poor
oral hygiene are factors that contribute to
dental and oral diseases.
KEEPING ORAL BACTERIA UNDER
CONTROL
S. mutans is one of the most common
bacterial species causing tooth decay. Good
oral hygiene is essential to prevent these
bacteria from multiplying and damaging a
child’s sensitive teeth. Careful mechanical
brushing of teeth and the use of fluoride
toothpaste are the foundation of children’s
oral hygiene. But even the most effective
mechanical brushing is not always enough.
Lumoral Junior is suitable for children who
are prone to caries, have incipient caries or
have a high S. mutans bacteria population in
the mouth.
In a Swedish study published in 2017, up
to 20% of children observed had a virulent
strain of S. mutans in their mouths 1 . This
increases the ability to attach to teeth
surfaces, to tolerate acidic conditions in
the mouth and cause more severe cases of
caries, and thus challenges traditional caries
methods.
“Antibacterial oral care does not replace
traditional oral self-care, such as brushing
with fluoride toothpaste and flossing,
but the approach can inspire and enable
children and parents to take better care of
their teeth,” said Dr Alapulli.
52 DENTAL ASIA MARCH / APRIL 2023