The trial
A specially engineered chewing gum reduced oral HPV by up to 93 percent in an early trial, researchers said. The gum also nearly eliminated two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer.
Scientists tested the gum in people with high levels of oral HPV. HPV is spread through intimate contact, and certain strains cause most throat and mouth cancers. The trial was small, but the results were strong enough to draw attention.
How it works
The gum contains a protein that traps the virus and the harmful bacteria. It binds to them in the mouth, and they are swallowed and destroyed in the stomach. The treatment appears to leave healthy mouth bacteria untouched.
That matters. The mouth's natural bacteria help defend against infection. Earlier treatments for oral HPV were harsh and wiped out both good and bad microbes.
The gum is chewed for a set time each day. In the trial, participants used it for several weeks. Levels of the virus and the two bacteria fell steadily over that period.
What it could mean
HPV vaccines prevent most new infections, but many adults are already exposed. Vaccines also require clinics, cold chains, and trained staff, which makes them hard to deliver in poorer regions.
A cheap chewing gum could fill that gap. People could use it without a needle or a doctor's visit. "This could be a very low-cost tool for cancer prevention," one researcher said.
The team now plans larger trials to confirm the results and check safety over longer periods. If those trials succeed, the gum could become an option for lowering oral cancer risk around the world.