Engineering of bioactive nanocomplexes on dental floss for targeted gingival therapy

Periodontitis induced by chronic subgingival infection is a ubiquitous disease that causes systemic inflammatory consequences and poses a negative impact on quality of life. The disease is treated and potentially prevented by patient's self‐care aimed at eliminating the oral pathogens from the region. Currently available products for interdental self‐care, including dental floss and interdental brush, have limited ability to prevent the disease. Here, we report a coated dental floss thread, termed “nanofloss,” which uses polyphenol‐based nanocoating to functionalize the floss thread with therapeutic agents. Multiple therapeutics can be integrated into the nanofloss including antibacterial small molecules and proteins. Flossing with nanofloss‐delivered therapeutic agents to the challenging subgingival region with long‐term retention even against the flushing action of the oral fluid in vivo. Our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that chlorhexidine gluconate‐loaded nanofloss effectively treats the subgingival infection by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Collectively, the nanofloss offers a promising and easily usable tool for targeted self‐care of subgingival infection against periodontitis.