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New Study Provides One More Reason to Smile about Tooth Whitening Treatment Researchers Find Proprietary BriteSmile Blue Light Tooth Whitening Treatment Kills Four Major Bacteria That Cause Gum Disease WALNUT CREEK, Calif., April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The millions of Americans who credit their white teeth to the leading in-office tooth whitening procedure will be pleasantly surprised to find they have also taken a step towards improving oral health. In a study published in the April 2005 Journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, researchers at the Boston-based Forsyth Institute confirmed for the first time that a short exposure to UV-free blue light from the proprietary BriteSmile (NASDAQ:BSML) tooth whitening procedure killed four major bacteria implicated in gingivitis and periodontal disease. The findings are the first to confirm the disease fighting ability of the blue light component of the patented procedure, and add to a growing body of clinical evidence on the health benefits of phototherapy in treatment and prevention of gum disease. More than 200 million people in the United States are estimated to have some form of gum disease, which can lead to tooth and bone loss. The study suggests an easy non-invasive therapy for patients facing traditional forms of periodontal treatment such as scaling and planing. In addition, numerous clinical studies have connected poor oral health and gum disease to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart attack and stroke. "By utilizing the UV-free blue light in this tooth whitening procedure over a short duration of exposure, we have demonstrated its potential health benefits in preventing, controlling and treating periodontitis -- one of the most widespread health problems in the country," said Dr. Max Goodson, DDS, PhD, Director of Clinical Research at the Forsyth Institute and lead researcher on the study. "Perhaps even more exciting though is the promise of one day leveraging this technology in new ways such as professional and consumer hand-held devices that might be used to help combat periodontal disease." Study Details Past research on the effects of phototherapy on oral bacteria indicated that red and green light were useful in partially suppressing the growth of certain oral bacteria. This study sought to prove that blue light could rapidly and selectively kill four major oral black-pigmented bacteria (BPB) that cause gum disease, while leaving helpful bacteria unharmed. Researchers collected oral cultures containing as many as 600 different bacteria from 15 patients who were suffering from chronic periodontitis but had not undergone any treatment for the condition in the past three months. The effects of the blue light treatment were measured on Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), Prevotella intermedia (P. intermedia), Prevotella nigrescens (P. nigrescens) and Prevotella melaninogenica (P. melaninogenica). The study included measurement of a control strain Streptococcus constellatus, which is not classified as a BPB. Researchers exposed the bacteria samples to varying levels of intensity and exposure time in the spectral range of 380-520 nm (the blue spectrum) for a minimum of 60 seconds using the BriteSmile light source. Results of the study showed that within minutes, the proprietary blue light from the BriteSmile light source selectively eliminated four harmful types of bacteria while leaving other more beneficial bacteria unaffected. Specifically, P. intermedia and P. nigrescens were virtually eliminated within 60 seconds, and P. melaninogenica was reduced by 70 percent within five minutes. The survival rate of P. gingivalis was 77 percent, 13 percent and 1.5 percent after exposure to varying light fluences over a short period of time. The control, S. constellatus, remained unaffected by irradiation. In addition, the study also found that while the proportion of pathogenic bacteria was reduced, the proportion of beneficial bacteria increased, encouraging the bacterial balance necessary for a healthy mouth. "Our past research has proven the cosmetic benefits of the complete tooth whitening procedure including light and peroxide; but this study is the first to establish the health benefits of BriteSmile's technology in eliminating harmful bacteria," said Dr. Julian Feneley, President of BriteSmile. "In the near term, this study identifies significant clinical benefits of our treatment; but the long-term implications could change the face of oral healthcare." About BriteSmile: BriteSmile has developed and manufactures the most advanced teeth whitening technology available, as well as manages state-of-the-art BriteSmile Professional Teeth Whitening Centers. BriteSmile was the first company to patent blue light technology to safely and efficiently whiten teeth. This proprietary system continues to be the only patented in-office blue light treatment available on the market. BriteSmile Centers are currently operating in Beverly Hills, Irvine, Palo Alto, Walnut Creek and La Jolla, CA; Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Boston, MA; Boca Raton, FL; Atlanta, GA; New York, NY; Chicago and Schaumburg, IL; and, Phoenix, AZ. In addition to BriteSmile Centers, the Company has established more than 5,000 Associated Centers. Of the BriteSmile Associated Centers, more than 2,000 are located outside of the United States, in more than 75 countries. BriteSmile is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol BSML. For more information about BriteSmile's procedure, call 1-800-BRITESMILE or visit the Company's Website at http://www.britesmile.com/. DATASOURCE: BriteSmile CONTACT: Christopher S. Edwards of BriteSmile, +1-925-279-2921; or Kevin Lamb, or Caitlin Faulkner, both of Coyne Public Relations, +1-973-316-1665, for BriteSmile Web site: http://www.britesmile.com/

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