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In the world of wellness these days, light is having a bit of a moment.
From recovery tools used by athletes to at-home devices for supporting good health, red light therapy in particular has been drawing a lot of interest. Often referred to as photobiomodulation (PBM), it’s based on the concept that specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light can influence how cells function – especially when it comes to energy production, inflammation, and repair.
While much of the early attention has focused on skin health and muscle recovery, researchers have been taking a closer look at how this same technology might support healing inside the mouth.
In dentistry, photobiomodulation is usually done with a diode laser emitting specific wavelengths of red or near-infrared light, typically in the range of about 600 to 1000 nanometers. The light is applied directly to the gums or surrounding issues for a short, controlled period of time, often just a few minutes per area, depending on the specific goal of treatment.
Because factors like wavelength, intensity, and duration can be carefully calibrated with a laser – unlike the typical at-home device – in-office photobiomodulation can deliver a precise, highly targeted dose of light to support healing at a specific site.
Some of the most consistent findings are on recovery after dental treatments, such as the 2025 double blinded randomized clinical trial of periodontal patients that was published in Clinical Oral Investigations. Just over 100 patients who experienced sensitivity after a “deep cleaning” – a procedure called scaling and root planing (SRP) – were split into two treatment groups. Only one of them received photobiomodulation after being treated.
Researchers then tracked all of the patients’ pain levels and pain medication use over time. Those in the PBM group consistently reported less pain and relied less on pain meds during recovery. “Additionally,” the authors wrote, photobiomodulation “is associated with improvements in the oral health-related quality of life in patients with dentin hypersensitivity.”
Other studies have looked at the use of PBM after oral surgeries such as wisdom tooth extraction. For one of these, a split-mouth model was used to test recovery in patients getting their third molars (wisdom teeth) removed. After surgery, one side of each patients’ mouth was treated with PBM, while the other received a sham treatment.
Afterward, outcomes such as pain levels, swelling, and overall recovery were measured on each side. Here, too, pain and swelling were significantly less on the treatment side than the side that received bogus treatment. Such findings point to photobiomodulations potential role in moderating inflammation and supporting tissue repair even after more invasive procedures.
There’s also a growing body of research exploring PBM’s potential in treating conditions as varied as oral mucositis (oral ulcers due to cancer treatment), orthodontics, and TMJ pain (TMD).
So what’s so special about red light that makes these kinds of results possible? At the cellular level, red and near-infrared light interact with mitochondria, the parts of your cells that produce energy. When these wavelengths are absorbed, they seem to stimulate a key enzyme in that energy production process: cytochrome c oxidase. This helps cells make more ATP (the fuel they use to function and repair).
With more energy available, cells can carry out normal maintenance and healing processes more efficiently.
Red light tends to affect tissues closer to the surface – like the gums – while near-infrared can penetrate more deeply, reaching muscles, joints, and even bone. But PBM isn’t so much about targeting a single symptom than about how it modulates the tissue’s inflammatory and repair response.
Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a common thread in many long-term health concerns – and it doesn’t stay neatly confined to one area. When systemic inflammation is up, the gums and supporting tissues are often affected, too. Similarly, when inflammation is down, those other tissues likewise follow in that positive direction.
This is part of what makes at-home red light devices appealing, though they’re generally less precise than the lasers and other devices used in dental and medical settings. They give you a way to support your body’s healing processes consistently, outside the dental chair – not as a replacement for treatment but as a way to help mouth and body alike to respond and recover to stress more efficiently.
For our patients, this might look like using red or near-infrared light after a cleaning or periodontal therapy, during healing following a procedure, or simply as part of a broader routine focused on reducing inflammation and supporting recovery. As with any wellness tool, quality and proper use matter, which is why it’s worth having a conversation with a knowledgeable provider – whether that’s with us at your next visit or another trusted health professional – before choosing a device.
For those who want a more targeted approach, some practitioners offer in-office photobiomodulation using medical-grade equipment with more controlled dosing and application. While we don’t provide this therapy directly, we’re always happy to connect our patients with providers in our network when it makes sense.
Sometimes the most effective support is simply helping the body do its job a little better.
