Olgani’s Probiom toothpaste and tooth powder is the first probiotic and prebiotic oral care range in South Africa made to look after your oral microbiome.
We’ve covered the gut microbiome and how best to support it, but until now we haven’t touched on the oral microbiome. The oral microbiome is the second most diverse microbiome in our bodies (after the gut) harboring over 700 species of bacteria.
What is the Oral Microbiome?
The oral microbiome includes your mouth, nose, parts of your throat and esophagus. The good bacteria in our mouths help protect our teeth from acid, aids in remineralization and maintaining a healthy pH balance. While we need both the good and bad bacteria, when your mouth has more bad bacteria than good it sets off an imbalance which causes gum and periodontal issues. Not only that, your mouth is also the gateway to your gut and where digestion starts. Every time you swallow, you send microbes into your gut. Looking after your oral microbiome is therefore the first step to looking after your gut microbiome.
How to Improve your Oral Microbiome
There are 4 things you can do to enhance your oral microbiome
1. Regular Flossing
Flossing nightly removes food particles and bacteria from between your teeth keeping your gums healthy and preventing cavities.
2. Tongue Scraping
I’ve been using a tongue scraper for years first thing in the morning. This practice has Ayurvedic roots and involves using a special tongue scraper to “scrape” bacteria of your tongue. It improves digestion, sense of taste, and removes toxins and bacteria from the oral cavity. Using a copper tongue scraper, like this one, is ideal as it has anti-microbial properties that can kill micro-organisms like mould, fungi, algae, and bacteria.
3. Using a Probiotic and Prebiotic Toothpaste
Traditional toothpastes have a lot of chemicals to eradicate bad bacteria, but they can also wipe out the good bacteria. The addition of probiotics and prebiotics in oral care help to fortify your microbiome and provide a natural defence against pathogens responsible for oral issues.
Using a probiotic and prebiotic toothpaste has the following benefits;
- Helps protect the oral cavity from invading pathogenic microbes
- Helps prevent cavities by balancing the pH of the mouth
- Produces bacteriocins that fight cavity-causing bacteria
- Improves the quality of saliva
- Prevents halitosis
- Reduces dental plague
- Reduces inflammation and bleeding of the gums
Olgani, known for their 100% natural oral care range, have just introduced a new range called Probiom which includes a toothpaste and tooth powder that have both probiotics and prebiotics. For those familiar with the Olgani range, you’ll recognise that unique taste of the toothpaste and texture of the powder. What’s different about this range is that both the toothpaste and tooth powder are fortified with Prebio+ care blend of prebiotics to feed and strengthen friendly bacteria.
Olgani Prebiom Toothpaste
Like all Olgani products, each ingredient added to the Prebiom toothpaste is natural and has a specific benefit to your oral health. The ingredients are as follows;
- Probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and casei) which hep fortify the oral microbiome.
- PREBIO+care blend of prebiotics, Inulin, and Xanthan gum, to nourish friendly bacteria.
- French Green Clay which is rich in minerals to strengthen teeth and gum tissue.
- Chlorella which is a source of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, supporting heavy metal removal.
- Fulvic Acid which is a source of nano minerals and amino acids, acting as an antioxidant and improving nutrient absorption.
- Lemongrass which has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties beneficial to oral health.
- Wintergreen which has mild analgesic properties and, together with peppermint and clove, offers fresh breath.
The taste is pleasant (mint is a personal favourite) but it does have the distinctive Olgani taste, which I can only describe as a little salty and bitter. It certainly takes getting used to but what keeps me using it is the chemical free cleanness it provides. It makes your teeth and mouth feel “scrubbed” clean – more so than after using regular toothpaste.
Olgani Probiom Tooth Powder
Olgani’s toothpowder is a zero-waste solution to toothpaste. It comes in a reusable and recyclable jar and has the same benefits as toothpaste.
The ingredients in the probiom toothpowder differ from the toothpaste but are all natural with specific benefits. They are;
- Blend of two strains of Lactobacillus to fortify the oral microbiota.
- Liquorice to help prevent cavities.
- White willow which has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Cholera which helps nourish gums.
- Sesame oil to moisturise gums.
- Prebio+ care blend of prebiotics, Inulin, and Xanthan gum, to nourish friendly bacteria.
- Lemongrass, rose geranium, peppermint and clove oils which have mild anti-bacterial properties to control pathogens and keep breathe fresh.
- Bentonite Clay which controls the pH in the oral cavity and supports re-mineralization.
- French Green Clay which provides minerals for strong teeth and gums.
- Sea salt to stimulate saliva production, support re-mineralization and acts as a natural rinse.
To use the toothpowder you dip a damp toothbrush into the jar and brush. If you’ve never used a toothpowder before this will take getting used to. Both the texture and taste is acquired and like the toothpaste, a little salty and bitter. While I prefer the toothpaste, this toothpowder is a wonderful green option and much like the toothpaste, leaves your mouth feeling sparking clean.
While you’re stocking up on the new Olgani Probiom range, get a 100% biodegradable toothbrush here and my favorite accessory, their new mini donut stands! They come in 6 different colors and can hold your toothbrush or tongue scraper.
4. Eating Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods
Probiotic foods which are all your fermented goodies like kimchi, sauerkraut, labneh and kombucha help feed your good bacteria. While prebiotic foods like legumes, fruit and some seeds and nuts support good gut health.
The Olgani Probium range of oral care along with their accessories are available here.
Thank you to our brand partner Olgani for sponsoring this feature. Olgani is a leading brand in natural oral care. Olgani creates oral care products that are beneficial for our whole body. Olgani products are innovative, and made with integrity from only natural products. Each product is designed to target a specific oral problem. Olgani is available through their website here as well as Wellness Warehouse and Faithful to Nature.
