Finnish health tech startup Koite Health takes global oral health to new levels

Poor oral health comes at a cost

Lumoral is a health technology product with a medical device status for the treatment and prevention of oral diseases at home. Many dentists as well as the Finnish Association of Dental Hygienists already recommend the new teeth cleaning method, which improves traditional oral hygiene. This supports the company in achieving its revenue growth targets.

The response to periodontitis treatment has been limited so far. The disease is most often caused by long-term inadequate oral hygiene. Traditionally, the treatment response has been thought to reflect the patient’s motivation to care for their mouth at home.

However, studies have shown that brushing removes only half of the plaque.

The antibacterial photodynamic (aPDT) method that is used in the Lumoral device is significantly more effective and better tolerated than the chlorhexidine-based mouthwashes that are commonly used today. Lumoral treatment does not replace mechanical oral hygiene but enhances it.

Untreated gum disease maintains and exacerbates a low-grade systemic inflammation in the body and is associated with many common conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer (1, 2).

The largest European periodontitis study found that treatment outcomes for periodontitis improve significantly when residual plaque is regularly removed from the mouth. In the past, antibacterial PDT therapy could only be performed in dental clinics, but now the treatment can be performed at home. Koite Health’s medical grade device can prevent and treat even the most severe forms of the disease.

Unique innovation for a global challenge attracting investments

Lumoral innovation gives new hope to dentists who treat their patients with difficult-to-treat periodontitis, emphasises Timo Hildén, investor and board member at Koite Health. Hildén is the former CEO of the Revenio Group, which makes tonometers and fundus cameras, among other products.

He points out that prevention and treatment in dental care are increasingly moving from clinics to homes. On the other hand, public resources are now under severe pressure in Finland as well as globally.

Any means of improving dental care and preventing the outbreak of oral diseases are of great social importance.

”Any means of improving dental care and preventing the outbreak of oral diseases are therefore of great social importance. This is why Lumoral can potentially revolutionise the global market for oral self-care,” Hildén says.

In the health technology sector, worldwide global growth rarely succeeds without significant investment. Hildén admits that times are challenging for many Finnish growth companies, as investors are cautious, and valuations of many companies have dropped.

”In Finland, where it is more difficult to raise growth finance than in the vast US market, you must have a credible investment case to attract investors. However, for investors, the current situation with lower valuations also offers opportunities to get involved in companies with new potential.”

After his retirement, Hildén invested a significant pot in Koite Health. Having studied also dentistry, he was already familiar with the company’s sector. He also recognised the company’s growth potential and potential for international success – just like Revenio Group’s, whose innovative rebound technology had never before been seen on the market.

”I looked closely at the company’s background, and the product it was developing – one that is unavailable elsewhere. After the background work, it was easy to decide to become an investor in the company,” he says.