Scouted: Can a Red Light-Powered Toothbrush Save Your Gums? I Put One to the Test

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Red light therapy masks , panels, and even hair growth caps have become a mainstay of wellness culture, used by athletes to speed muscle recovery and by the rest of us to stimulate collagen production and reduce inflammation.

Now, the makers of these devices are targeting oral health, with sonic toothbrushes designed to reduce gum bleeding, lower inflammation, prevent cavities, and more.

Can stacking our two-minute brush sessions with red light make for healthier teeth and gums? According to Dr.

Brian Kantor, a cosmetic dentist at New York City’s Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor , the benefits of oral red light can extend well beyond the mouth.

“Red light can decrease sensitivity in the teeth and can also help reduce inflammation of the gum tissue,” he says.

“The decrease in sensitivity is extremely important because there is a proven link between having an inflammatory response in the mouth and having an inflammatory response in the rest of the body, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory disorders.” Research links red light therapy (also known as photobiomodulation, or PBM) to reduced inflammation , improved oral wound healing , and minimizing bleeding in gums .

“The underlying science of photobiomodulation reducing inflammatory markers, supporting circulation via nitric oxide release, and accelerating oral wound healing is real and reasonably well-established in the dental literature,” says Scott Froum, DDS , a board-certified periodontist, implant specialist, and naturopath doctor based in New York City.

But as the periodontist points out, these studies used handheld light therapy wands or intraoral LED devices that deliver a defined dose of stationary light in a clinical setting, not oscillating toothbrushes that emit red light during brushing.

In other words, LED toothbrushes may deliver lower LED doses than listed on the box because motion can scatter light, and foam and saliva in the mouth can interfere.

Where the research most supports the benefits of a light therapy toothbrush is in the device’s ability to reduce bleeding in gums: A randomized controlled trial found that those who brushed with an electric toothbrush combined with 3-color LEDs didn’t see a difference in plaque or bleeding at three weeks of usage (when compared to a control group), but showed statistically significant improvement over the control group, specifically in bleeding, after six weeks of brushing.

Though more research is needed to make red light for oral care a must-have, those who see red when flossing or wellness early adopters may benefit from investing in an LED toothbrush.