Overview

• Researchers devised a needle-free vaccination method by coating dental floss to deliver antigens directly into the junctional epithelium between gums and teeth.
• In mice, floss-mediated delivery of a flu vaccine prompted strong mucosal antibody responses in the mouth and robust systemic immunity against influenza infection.
• The junctional epithelium approach produced higher mucosal antibody levels than sublingual vaccination and matched the protection seen with intranasal delivery.
• Preclinical studies demonstrated that the floss technique elicits robust immune responses across protein, inactivated-virus and mRNA vaccine classes.
• Early human tests with dye-coated floss picks confirmed targeted delivery to the gingival sulcus, paving the way for clinical vaccine trials despite uncertainties in pediatric and periodontal applications.