In 2020, Espoo-based Koite Health launched Lumoral, a revolutionary device for oral health care at home. Today, on Sept. 21. 2023, the company launches a share issue via Invesdor's crowdfunding platform to support its strong growth. At the same time, there will be a directed share issue for interested institutional investors.

Koite Health Oy has so far been owned by three founders, well-known Finnish and foreign angel investors in the healthcare sector and the Pharmacy Pension Fund in Finland. Now the general public has the opportunity to become an owner in the success story of a Finnish growth company.

Lumoral is a clinically proven and CE-marked medical device for oral health that has already experienced strong growth in popularity in Finland. The company has already sold more than 10,000 units in Finland and Sweden in three years and gained strong support from the experts.   Since the spring, Lumoral has also been available in other European countries. Sales of the device are now growing strongly in markets such as Germany, Italy and the UK. New partners and distributors will be announced before the end of the year. The company's ambition is to bring the unique benefits of Lumoral to users and patients across Europe and, with future partners, to expand into the US and Asian markets.

Lumoral contributes to human well-being

Lumoral has a direct impact on human well-being. More than half of the Finnish population suffers from some degree of gingivitis. The situation is no better elsewhere. According to last November's WHO's Global Oral Health Status Report, nearly half of the world's population suffers from some form of oral disease, and the number of oral diseases has increased by one billion cases worldwide over the past 30 years.

Koite Health's health technology product offers the opportunity to prevent oral diseases and treat their severe forms .

Koite Health Oy's Board of Directors also includes Timo Hildén, who made a name for himself as CEO of the publicly traded Revenio Group Oyj.  Mr. Hildén was instrumental in building the growth story of Revenio, known for its ophthalmometer technology, and the company's market value increased by almost during his tenure.

Make sure you are part of the Finnish healthcare technology success story. Invest in a company that has already revolutionized home oral health care in Finland and around the world.

Click here to become a Lumoral shareholder.                                            

About Koite Health

Koite Health is a Finnish health technology company whose patented dual light therapy innovation has revolutionized oral health care for Finns. The company's expert team consists of experienced physicians and technologists. Founders Sakari Nikinmaa, Tommi Pätilä and Juha Rantala established Koite Health in September 2018 as part of a project funded by Business Finland and Aalto University.

A plaque study conducted by a group of oral hygiene students as part of their final thesis, at the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland, has been completed. The study shows that using antibacterial Lumoral therapy twice a week benefits the oral health of otherwise healthy people. The study also revealed that the reduction in oral biofilm was significantly greater in the experimental group using Lumoral than in the control group.

The study was conducted by Carolina Cavalcante Bitu, Panu Halen and Susanna Lehti, oral hygiene students at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Their supervisor was Saila Pakarinen, lecturer, oral hygienist and researcher at the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. The study was partly conducted in cooperation with the health technology company Koite Health Oy.

The purpose of the thesis was to investigate the efficacy of the antimicrobial Lumoral method in reducing oral biofilm as part of an oral self-care routine in healthy 18-70-year-old study volunteers.

Biofilm control prevents oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis and caries. This thesis investigated the potential of indocyanine green (Lumorinse) activated photodynamic therapy of the Lumoral device in biofilm management to aid mechanical extraction from the mouth. In addition, the subjects' experiences in using the Lumoral device as part of their oral home care were analysed using qualitative methods.

The study divided the patients into two groups, an experimental group and a control group. The duration of the study period was one month. The control group, which received only oral self-care instructions, was used as a comparison. In addition to the oral self-care instructions, the experimental group received a Lumoral device and Lumorinse tablets to be used twice weekly.

The biofilm count was measured numerically using the Rustog index and the plaque index, once at the beginning of the study and again after one month. The resulting data were analysed using quantitative methods. In addition, a written evaluation was collected from the subjects of the experimental group about their experience with the Lumoral device.

All respondents found it easy to use the Lumoral device. The majority stated that they could continue to use Lumoral as part of their oral care routine, suggesting that healthy adults could also engage with Lumoral as a self-care measure to prevent oral disease.

Finland is a rather conservative country when it comes to dental implant treatments. Unlike in many other European countries, where demand for implants is growing strongly as the population ages, the growth in Finland has remained relatively moderate over the past 10-15 years. However, the need for implants is no less in our country.

According to specialist dentist Pekka Kallio, around 30 000 new dental implants are placed in Finland every year. In relation to the population, the number of implants in Italy, for example, is four times higher than in Finland. Meanwhile, around 100 million implants have been placed in patients' mouths worldwide so far. Around 10 million new dental implant treatments are done every year.

According to Kallio, the high cost of implant treatment in Finland compared to many other countries is often a barrier to more significant growth in the implantology business.

- However, with implant surgery becoming increasingly digitally guided, it is possible that patients in Finland will not have to pay so much for their implant treatments in the future. Price competition in the sector has already increased in Finland, without compromising the quality of treatment, says Kallio. 

Kallio has been a specialist dentist himself for almost 25 years. He recalls that dental implants come in handy when, for example, a patient needs a strong foundation for crowns or bridges.

According to Kallio, the success of implant treatments depends on both the experience of the dentist and the choice of the patient. All the implant brands used in Finland are of high quality, so the success of implant treatment is not dependent on the implant itself. A patient's previous history of periodontitis is also not an obstacle to implant treatment.

- However, periodontal disease must be treated and well maintained before implant treatment. The most important risk factor for treatment failure is smoking. Diabetes is another important risk factor to consider in treatment, says Kallio.

A healthy mouth is the basis for successful implant treatment

Oral home care, including thorough daily brushing and flossing and regular dentist check-ups are essential for the prognosis of the treatment. There is room for improvement in the oral home care of implant patients. The idea that implants are eternal and better than one's own teeth is wrong, says Kallio.

Peri-implantitis is a serious gum disease that affects the well-being of implants and can lead to implant loss if left untreated. Although implant treatments generally have a good success rate, on average one implant is lost every four minutes. This translates into around 140,000 lost implants per year. Around 50% of implant patients develop peri-implantitis over time, according to figures from Dentognostics.

Kallio points out that successful implant treatment requires a healthy mouth.

- Periodontal disease and implant treatments are not at all compatible. The risk of infection is high and, in the long run, teeth weakened by periodontal disease will cause excessive pressure to dental implants and bridges.  

After implant surgery, the surgical site is tender. In addition, sutures make cleaning difficult. Today, antiseptic mouthwashes are used to kill oral bacteria after surgery. However, they have side effects, including discolouration of the teeth, says Kallio. 

Antibacterial Lumoral treatment has also shown good results in the treatment of dental implant-related infections.

- In my studies, the amount of plaque and gum bleeding in patients was significantly reduced compared to the initial situation, and there were no side effects associated with the use of Lumoral, says Hanna Lähteenmäki, a YAMK oral hygienist who was awarded the title of Oral Hygienist of the Year 2022.

Kallio also feels that Lumoral is a promising product for implant patients.

- I use it selectively with my patients who have challenges with oral home care or other factors that affect the prognosis of their treatment.

- I recommend using Lumoral daily for 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery.  Most patients continue to use it at the normal 2 times a week dosage.

Even with successful implant placement, implants do not always remain healthy. According to Kallio long term follow-up studies have show inflammation and bone loss around implants, known as peri-implantitis. It occurs in about one fifth of implants after a ten-year follow-up.  Treatment of these often requires complex treatment by a specialist dentist. 

- Here too, careful oral home care is a prerequisite for successful treatment.  Lumoral is, in my opinion, an affordable insurance not only to improve the long-term prognosis of implant treatment, but also to prevent many other oral health risks, such as caries and periodontitis. For patients with dry mouth problems, Lumoral provides a definite improvement. The ease of use of Lumoral and the immediate feeling of dental cleanliness it provides has brought many positive comments from my patients.