Animal experiments have shown that this technique stimulates the production of antibodies in mucous membranes, such as the lining of the nose and lungs. The study was conducted by a team from Texas Tech University, and its results were published in the journal ‘Nature Biomedical Engineering’ on July 28, 2025, according to ‘EurekAlert’. Harvinder Singh Gill, a professor of nanomedicine at North Carolina State University, explains that mucosal surfaces are major entry points for pathogens like the flu, making them an important target for vaccines. The junctional epithelium, a thin layer between the tooth and gum, is more permeable than other epithelial tissues, making it an ideal medium for vaccine delivery.
The results showed that this method outperformed sublingual vaccination and achieved protection comparable to nasal vaccination, with the advantage of avoiding the risk of the vaccine reaching the brain. The technique also proved effective with protein vaccines, inactivated viruses, and mRNA. Eating or drinking after using the floss did not affect the immune response in mice.
To facilitate human application, researchers used sticks, where an experiment on 27 participants showed that 60% of a fluorescent dye material was deposited in the gum pocket, indicating the method’s feasibility. This technique offers advantages such as ease of use, overcoming injection concerns, and costs similar to traditional vaccination methods. However, it faces challenges, such as being unsuitable for children without teeth and the need for additional studies to assess its effectiveness in people with gum disease or oral infections.
