Finnish health technology company Koite Health Oy has signed a distribution agreement with Dental Warehouse Ltd. of the UK. Following the accord, Dental Warehouse will offer UK consumers and oral health professionals Lumoral® – the latest technology for improved oral health self-care.

Dental Warehouse is the leading distribution and fulfillment warehouse in the UK. The company sees Lumoral as a strong addition to its product portfolio, giving it a competitive edge in the dental industry. 

According to Alexandra Davis from Dental Warehouse, Lumoral’s unique technology – developed in collaboration with Finnish scientists and medical professionals – offers innovative plaque-targeting treatment capabilities, setting it apart from traditional oral care products. 

– The technology addresses plaque-related issues promptly, helping prevent severe oral health problems such as cavities and gum disease. Davis highlights that Lumoral caters to dental professionals and proactive consumers, expanding its target market.

Koite Health Ltd. will provide Dental Warehouse access to innovative and unique technology for dental plaque-targeted treatment through the agreement. 

– This can help differentiate us from competitors and attract customers seeking advanced oral care solutions, Davis says. 

Comprehensive oral health management

Poor oral health is a global concern that has prompted even the World Health Organization (WHO) to react. WHO estimates that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people globally. In 2022, the World Health Assembly adopted the global strategy on oral health with a vision of universal health coverage for oral health for all individuals and communities by 2030.

Poor oral health also affects children. The Oral Health Foundation of the UK called in March for urgent action after a new report by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities highlights a “catastrophic rise in childhood tooth extractions”.

Figures released by the UK-based charity reveal an 83% increase in 0–19-year-olds admitted to hospital for tooth extractions under general anaesthetic due to tooth decay. There were 26,741 tooth extractions on 0–19-year-olds due to tooth decay between 2021-2022.

According to the report, significant disparities exist between areas within the UK. For example, Yorkshire and the Humber rates are over five times that of the East Midlands.

Alexandra Davis estimates that the UK dental market will reach a value of £9.62 billion in 2022. 46% of UK adults have visited a National Health Service (NHS) dentist in the last 12 months. 57% of people who have visited a dentist in the last five years received a general examination or check-up. 70% of British citizens use self-payment for their dental treatments.

Davis highlights a continuous need to improve prevention among patients in the UK regarding the oral health of adults and children. 

– While dental professionals emphasise the importance of preventive care, there are still areas where patients can benefit from better understanding and implementing preventive practices, she continues.

This is where new oral health-enhancing technologies such as Lumoral come in handy.

Lumoral is changing the future of dental care at home

Research shows that Lumoral's antibacterial aPDT phototherapy technology effectively eliminates harmful bacteria in the mouth while treating advanced gum disease. Similar light-activated antibacterial treatments have already been used in dental clinics. However, the problem has been the cost and frequency of these treatments to provide sufficient efficacy. 

Lumoral is a health technology product with a medical device status for treating and preventing oral diseases at home. Many dentists and the Finnish Association of Dental Hygienists already recommend the new teeth cleaning method, which improves traditional oral hygiene. Lumoral treatment does not replace mechanical oral hygiene but enhances it. Lumoral is also available for children aged four and above.

– Solid scientific evidence enhances the understanding of Lumoral's efficacy and showcases its benefits in treating periodontitis. Scientific backing helps to instill confidence in the effectiveness of Lumoral and contribute to its credibility within the dental industry, Davis says. 

Preventive health care, which includes using the antibacterial Lumoral method, will quickly pay for itself, bringing significant savings to society. This applies not only to dental care but to the entire healthcare system. Lumoral supports regular mechanical dental hygiene, helps achieve gum health, and prevents inflammation when regular dental hygiene is insufficient.

Dental Warehouse aims to provide its customers with the best possible modern treatment for oral diseases. Lumoral will be offered through dental practices through the Dental Warehouse website.

– This novel technology can appeal to individuals or organisations seeking advanced solutions in oral health. Dental plaque is a widespread issue that affects a large population. David highlights that Lumoral's ability to treat dental plaque efficiently can entice individuals and dental professionals looking for an effective tool to address this common oral health problem.

Davis continues that Lumoral's plaque-targeting capabilities align with the increasing emphasis on preventive healthcare. By proactively addressing dental plaque, Lumoral may help prevent more severe oral health issues, such as cavities and gum disease, without negatively affecting oral bacteria balance. This preventive aspect can attract those interested in maintaining optimal oral health.

According to Davis, increased awareness of oral health and hygiene drives the growing demand for advanced oral care solutions. Lumoral, with its innovative technology and ability to provide comprehensive oral health management, may meet this demand and be seen as a valuable addition to the market.

Taking oral health to a new level

Sakari Nikinmaa, Koite Health's CEO, says that partnership with the Dental Warehouse team is essential for Lumoral, enabling the company to serve dental professionals and their patients better in the UK. 

– By working with Dental Warehouse, we can take oral health to a new level in the UK and provide patients and consumers with the best possible treatment experience and outcomes. Koite Health's clinical results and the expertise of Dental Warehouse are perfectly combined with Lumoral's unique features and efficiency, says Nikinmaa.

The global oral healthcare market is estimated to be worth €470 billion. Koite Health aims to capture a share of it with their Lumoral solution. The company already has thousands of satisfied customers and ambitious future growth targets. Now, the aim is to make Lumoral a major global brand in the oral healthcare market through international partnerships.

– Our strategy is to partner with industry leaders to raise awareness among professionals about the Lumoral product and its benefits and to build a global sales structure to secure product availability globally, says Nikinmaa, one of the founders of Koite Health.

Sakari Nikinmaa, Co-founder and CEO of Koite Health Oy.

The link between oral and general health is widely understood, but is this reflected in Finland's health care system and people's oral health? To mark World Health Day, Jukka Meurman, Professor Emeritus of Oral Infectious Diseases, and Tommi Pätilä, cardiac and transplant surgeon at the New Children's Hospital of HUS, reflect on the issue from the perspective of oral health.

World Health Day, launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is celebrated worldwide on April 7 to raise awareness of various health concerns. This year's theme – Health for All – focuses on health equity. In other words, the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. 

What about health equity in Finland? Does everyone have equal opportunities to attain their highest level of health in Finland, a country ranked the world's happiest for the sixth year in a row in 2023?

Health inequality is a national challenge also in Finland. Also, in terms of oral health equity. Although the health of Finns has improved considerably over the last decades, according to indicators such as morbidity, work capacity, and mortality, poverty and exclusion are also reflected in Finns' teeth and oral health.

Poor socio-economic status and low education and income levels have a negative impact on oral health. The Finnish Dental Society Apollonia has warned that there is still a lack of comprehensive and adequate oral health care services for the adult population. The poor oral health situation in Finland is also reflected in children.

According to Professor Jukka Meurman, the lack of resources for public oral health care is also directly reflected in the quality of oral health care for people with physical disabilities and, thus, in the prevalence of oral diseases. There is also an urgent need for more staff trained in oral health care for people with disabilities.

Cross-border cooperation for more efficient use of health resources

Oral health is directly linked to a person's overall health and well-being. However, oral health problems are challenging because they are often asymptomatic and may go unnoticed. Undetected chronic oral infections such as caries and periodontitis can contribute to the development of serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer and, for example, increase the risk of premature birth in expectant mothers (1). 

- Although the link between oral health and general health has been discussed since ancient times, much remains to be done, especially among the public. The issue is becoming well understood in the medical profession, but there is still a need to add dental education to medical curricula and vice versa, says Meurman.

According to the WHO, periodontal disease is estimated to affect around 19% of the world's adult population. This means more than one billion cases worldwide.

In Finland, it is estimated that up to two out of three people over 30 suffer from periodontitis. The disease is even more common in people with diabetes. If left untreated, persistent gum disease can put people at risk of tooth loss - but it is also linked to severe heart events. 

According to a study, the first heart attack is 30% more common in people with periodontal disease than in healthy people of the same age (2).

According to Meurman, many doctors in Finland check the oral health status of their patients in their practices and refer them for further treatment if necessary. Diabetes, for example, is a good example of a disease where the importance of latent inflammation is already widely understood.

Meurman further believes that cooperation between doctors and oral health professionals in Finland should be significantly increased, even during basic training. This would make sharing the workload and managing the health workforce easier. Finland should also consider offering new training programs to ease the shortage of resources in the dental healthcare sector.

- While current dental training takes 5-6 years, an "oral health therapist" training course would only take about 2.5 years, Meurman suggests.

The ideal situation would be for dental training to be similar to specialist training in, say, ophthalmology. Moreover, many practical dental procedures could be carried out by specialists with a university of applied sciences degree.

Meurman admits that such a situation has not yet been fully achieved anywhere in the world. However, in countries such as Singapore and New Zealand, professionals receiving Oral Health Therapist training have, for many years, already eased the workload of dentists. Oral Health Therapists examine dental decay and gum disease and provide routine dental treatments such as teeth cleaning, polishing, teeth extraction and treatment for patients under the prescription of dentists.

Preventive oral care brings benefits to individuals and society

Tommi Pätilä, a cardiac and transplant surgeon at the New Children's Hospital at HUS, believes that oral health is not sufficiently taken into account for patients coming to specialized care. The problem is the frequent lack of time. In specialized care, it is easy to think that a dentist can examine the patient's mouth in due course.

Oral health should always be considered at the basic examination stage for hospital patients. The information should be regularly recorded in the medical records – just like blood pressure values are routinely monitored, says Pätilä. 

More resources for oral health care would be necessary for Finland. It would also be economically worthwhile for society, as it would help prevent the onset of many general diseases.

According to Meurman, preventive health care, including using the antibacterial Lumoral method to improve oral hygiene, will quickly pay for itself.

Pätilä stresses that investing in oral health care and prevention would reduce the development of chronic diseases and the exacerbation of those that have already developed. This would be particularly important for people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and rheumatic diseases.

- Preventive oral health care brings significant savings to society. This applies not only to dental care but to the entire healthcare system. Lumoral supports regular mechanical dental hygiene and helps to achieve gum health and prevent inflammation when regular dental hygiene is not enough, says Pätilä.

References:

1) Jacobsson B, Kacerovsky M, Menon R, Musilova I, Radochova V, Slezak R, Stepan M, Vescicik P (2019) ‘Association between periodontal disease and preterm prebalor rupture of membranes'. Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

2) Rydén L, Buhlin K, Ekstrand E, de Faire U, Gustafsson A, Holmer J, Kjellström B, Lindahl B, Norhammar A, Nygren Å, Näsman P, Rathnayake N, Svenungsson E, Klinge B: Periodontitis Increases the Risk of a First Myocardial Infarction. A Report From the PAROKRANK Study. 13.1.2016 Circulation. 2016;133:576–583 

Why is oral health so important for everyone? The mouth is the “starting point” of the body’s defense and immunity system. When oral health is compromised by disease or injury, general health is also affected, describes Dr. Benoit Varenne, Oral Health Programme Officer at the NCD Prevention Department of the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to WHO’s Global Oral Health Status Report published on 18 November 2022, almost half of the world’s population is affected by some type of oral disease. The most vulnerable and marginalized populations are particularly affected by poor oral health.

Dr. Benoit Varenne explains in an interview for WHO: Science in 5 that poor oral health can lead to a multitude of health challenges – in more severe cases even to disability and death. Oral diseases are linked to a range of risk factors – these include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and unhealthy food and drinks.

– These risk factors are shared with other medical conditions or noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, or mental disorders, Dr. Benoit Varenne says.

The link between oral health and general health proven

Research indicates that there is a proven relationship between oral and general health. It is reported, for example, that diabetes is linked with the development and progression of periodontitis. Meanwhile, there is also a causal link between high consumption of sugars and diabetes, obesity, and dental caries, WHO recognizes.

Periodontitis, a chronic infection caused by bacteria, is a disease that affects as many as 70% of people in Western countries. Periodontitis is the sixth most common disease in the world that can also lead to other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. Infections in the mouth are mainly caused by accumulated dental plaque, which can lead to tartar buildup if not removed properly.

According to Dr. Varenne, the biggest challenges in terms of improving global oral health are the cost and access to oral health care. In many countries, oral health care services are not accessible or not affordable for most people. Thus, implementing prevention measures such as in schools, communities, and workplaces is important.

Prevention is the best tool

So, how can we maintain and improve oral health? The key to good oral health is thorough oral home care. Prevention of oral diseases requires regular brushing and flossing. Using fluoride toothpaste is also important as it helps fight against dental caries.

Secondly, to help prevent dental caries and maintain general health, it is recommended to reduce sugar consumption in food and drink. Dr. Varenne reminds that water is the best drink every day at any time.

Koite Health is a Finnish health tech company whose Lumoral-innovation, which is based on dual-light therapy, has revolutionized Finnish preventive dental care. Lumoral is a teeth cleaning device that is used in addition to regular tooth brushing. The device is suitable for everyone but is especially beneficial for those with cavities or gingivitis. Lumoral has been scientifically developed, and its antibacterial effect is well established. Lumoral is a class II medical and CE-approved device.