Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are oral probiotics? How do they differ from other probiotics?

Probiotics work by populating the body with beneficial bacteria. Many probiotics are primarily targeting the health of the gut. Oral probiotics are those that target the mouth and throat to help support the oral cavity. BLIS probiotics populate the mouth and throat with good bacteria, crowding out the bad. In science terms – this is known as ‘bacterial interference’.

Q. What is an advanced probiotic?

Probiotics are good bacteria that have been characterized for their beneficial properties. Advanced probiotics are slightly different in that they also provide the benefit of producing bacteriocins (small proteins) that are inhibitory against other bacteria species. So not only do they crowd out the bad bacteria, they actively fight them with bacteriocins. Not all probiotic strains can do this.

Q. What is S. salivarius?

Streptococcus salivarius is a species of spherical, gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic bacteria that is both catalase and oxidase negative.

Q What is the benefit of taking an oral probiotic? 

In an ideal situation, everybody would have the right balance of microbes in their oral cavity. Unfortunately, this is not the case and for those who have an imbalance, they may experience things like bad breath. For a small portion of the population (about 2%) they already have a high natural presence of Streptococcus salivarius (the good stuff). For the rest of us, a BLIS probiotic will introduce beneficial bacteria to the oral cavity to help support a healthy mouth and throat.

Q. Is the active ingredient in ThroatHealth and FreshBreath the same? If so, why do I need to purchase both products?

The lozenges in our ThroatHealth and FreshBreath kits are the same – BLIS K12™. However, for people who suffer from bad breath (halitosis), it is important they use the antibacterial mouthwash and tongue scraper as directed. The FreshBreath kit is a specially designed concept which aims to repopulate the oral cavity with good bacteria (Streptococcus salivarius K12) and help balance out the odor-causing bacteria.

Q. I’ve been using the FreshBreath Kit for several months now and I’m experiencing fantastic results. Should I continuously use it all the time, or take a break for a while?

We’ve found that consistent use of the FreshBreath Kit achieves long-term sustained fresh breath. There may be some carryover of the effects of BLIS K12™ after you stop using it regularly, however, your bacterial balance will eventually return to what it was previous to using BLIS K12™. The FreshBreath Kit is not a permanent cure for bad breath.

Q. My son has strep throat and is currently on antibiotics. Should I start him on ThroatHealth now or wait until he has finished the antibiotics?

We would recommend beginning ThroatHealth the day after a course of antibiotics is complete. It is important to take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed by a healthcare professional.. Antibiotics kill the bad bacteria and they also kill the ‘good’ bacteria – so the optimum time to recolonize the oral cavity quickly with good bacteria is immediately following antibiotics.

Q. Is it okay to take ThroatHealth and other products straight after food or cleaning teeth?

It’s fine to take lozenges when you wish and you can take up to 4 lozenges in one day. If you are taking it during the day it is best not to eat or drink at least 20 minutes after taking the lozenge. At night, you should take the lozenge after completing your regular dental routine.

Q. Will BLIS K12™ or BLIS M18™ help with recurring mouth ulcers?

We have not conducted any trials in this area so we are unable to say if this is an area that BLIS Probiotics can be utilized for.

Q. What is the best form of BLIS K12™ and M18™? Lozenges? Gum? Powder?

We typically produce BLIS K12™ and BLIS M18™ in lozenge form as it is the most effective way to colonise the mouth and throat with the good bacteria. Allowing the lozenge to dissolve slowly on the tongue gives it the best opportunity to colonize in the mouth and throat. We also have a powdered form which is suitable for people who would struggle to suck on a lozenge (usually small children).

Q. What is the bacteria count for your products?

We measure the bacteria count in CFU: colony forming units. Teeth&Gums (BLIS M18™) contains 2.5 billion CFU/dose. ThroatHealth (BLIS K12™) contains 2.5 billion/dose. TravelProtect (BLIS K12™) contains a mix of 2.5bn/dose and 1.25bn /dose. HoneyBlis (BLIS K12™) contains 1 billion CFU/dose, the lozenges in FreshBreath Kit contain 1.25bn /dose.

Q. Can ThroatHealth and Teeth&Gums be taken together?

We have carried out studies to show that you may take ThroatHealth (contains BLIS K12™) and Teeth&Gums (contains BLIS M18™) at the same time.

For best results, take one lozenge of ThroatHealth in the morning and one lozenge of Teeth&Gums at night.

Q. How does TravelProtect work?

Scientists have discovered that taking a high dose of BLIS K12™ over a short period of time can help support your immune system, so your natural defenses are awake to any bad bacteria that might come into your oral cavity. The pre-travel dosage of BLIS K12™ in TravelProtect is a high dose designed to do this and we know that this is really effective up to 24 hours after taking that pre-travel dose. So if you take it 24 hours before travelling you are giving yourself good support. During travel, the dosage is at a maintenance level so the levels of beneficial bacteria are maintained during the journey. This is particularly relevant when travelling for extended periods of time in enclosed spaces (aeroplanes, trains, buses) as there can be many airborne germs that you might be exposed to.

Q. I’ve seen other branded products that contain BLIS K12™. Is this the same BLIS probiotic?

Our company, Blis Technologies Limited, has the world patent for both the BLIS K12™ and BLIS M18™ strains. We produce our own finished goods which are available on Amazon.com and in New Zealand pharmacies. We also supply ingredients to manufacturers who sell and distribute in overseas markets.

This is potentially why you have seen our oral probiotics under different brand names. If you are concerned about it being ‘real’ look for a reference to Blis Technologies and the strain that the product contains. Any product that includes our active ingredients needs to correctly label their packaging and reference both the company and the strain name.

Blis Technologies are originators of BLIS K12™ and BLIS M18™. Any product that does not reference Blis Technologies is potentially not using bona-fide ingredients.

Q. Do BLIS Probiotics contain sugar or gluten?

All BLIS Probiotics are gluten-free. We use ingredients in our lozenges that are sugar derivatives, they are non-metabolizing sugars so they will not alter your blood-sugar levels but we are not able to call the products sugar-free. These sugar derivatives will not cause cavities in teeth.

Q. Are BLIS Probiotics dairy free?

According to the Tepnel test – BLIS products are dairy free. There are no dairy products used in the production of the lozenges. There may be traces of dairy proteins that are used in the fermentation process to produce BLIS K12™ and BLIS M18™.

Q. How should I store my BLIS Probiotics? 

We recommend storing BLIS Probiotics below 25-degrees Celsius (77-degres Fahrenheit). They are shelf-stable so they do not need to go into the fridge. If you live in a particularly hot or humid climate we would recommend you store your BLIS Probiotics in the fridge to give them added protection.

Q. Are BLIS Probiotics safe to take alongside other medications?

While you should not incur problems taking a BLIS probiotic alongside other prescription medication, you should always seek the advice from your doctor. If you are taking antibiotics you should complete the antibiotics before starting to take BLIS Probiotics.

BLIS K12™ is GRAS approved (Generally Recognised as Safe) by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Q. Are there any products that will interfere with BLIS K12™ or BLIS M18™?

We do not recommend using BLIS Probiotics at the same time as taking antibiotics. Antibiotics will kill off probiotics. Anti-microbial mouthwash also kills off good and bad bacteria. If you use anti-microbial mouthwash – always take BLIS Probiotics as the last step in your dental hygiene routine.

Q. Can you provide medical advice?

While we have a world-class science and microbiology team, we are unable to provide you with medical advice. We can, however, provide detailed information on product-related queries. You should seek any medical advice from your doctor. 

Q. Where are your products manufactured?

We are proud to be a New Zealand-based company. From research and development, through to manufacturing and packaging, Blis Technologies does it all from our headquarters in Dunedin.