LFQs: Laser-Focused Questions with Christine Koski, CEO of ProBiora Health

January 25, 2019

Christine Koski is the CEO of ProBiora Health®, LLC, a company that develops and markets a complete line of proprietary probiotics that are specifically formulated to enhance oral health for people and pets. ProBiora Health is an ALD Gold Sponsor and will be exhibiting during the ALD’s annual meeting, April 4th-6th in Dallas.

Introduction: Christine Koski is the CEO of ProBiora Health®, LLC, a company that develops and markets a complete line of proprietary probiotics that are specifically formulated to enhance oral health for people and pets. ProBiora Health is an ALD Gold Sponsor and will be exhibiting during the ALD’s annual meeting, April 4th-6th in Dallas.

ALD: One of your company’s taglines is “Bringing the science of probiotics to oral care.” How is ProBiora making that a reality?

CK: The ProBiora® family of products are solidly based in scientific research. ProBiora3® the active ingredient in ProBiora products, is a proprietary blend of beneficial oral bacterial strains created by Dr. Jeffrey D. Hillman. Dr. Hillman conducted landmark research in oral microbiology, especially as it relates to bacterial interactions in the oral biofilm, while working at the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute in Boston and later at the University of Florida Dental School. Dr. Hillman’s hypothesis: If everyone has detrimental bacteria in their mouths, why doesn’t everyone have serious tooth decay and periodontal disease? What is balancing the impact of these detrimental bacteria?

Dr. Hillman collected biofilm samples from people with healthy teeth, from different parts of the mouth epithelium and palate, tongue, tooth surfaces, plaque, and tonsils, eventually identifying more than 700 species of bacteria.

Among those hundreds of species of bacteria Hillman discovered, there were a small number of beneficial natural strains that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. These beneficial strains naturally compete with harmful bacteria for resources as well as space on tooth surfaces and below the gum line and can actually play an important role in maintaining a healthy micro-ecological balance in the oral cavity.

Dr. Hillman realized that if we can increase the number of these friendly oral bacteria, they would reduce the number of harmful acidic bacteria greatly. Eventually, Hillman isolated three particular bacterial species of human origin that, in sufficient numbers, could crowd out the harmful bacteria.

ALD: A lot of people are already familiar with probiotics and are currently taking them. How are ProBiora’s formulations different from other brands of probiotics on the market?

CK: Most well-known probiotics are targeted for digestive health. At ProBiora Health, we are focused on oral health. The ProBiora product line contains ProBiora3, a patented combination of three strains of probiotic bacteria native to the oral cavity. All three probiotic strains immediately migrate to the mouth tissue, gums, gum pockets and tooth surfaces where they “live.” With regular use, they crowd out the bad bacteria that are associated with bad breath, gingivitis and tooth decay.

The most unique aspect of the ProBiora family of products is that it whitens teeth. It turns out, one of the bacteria emits hydrogen peroxide as it processes nutrients. Since the bacteria live in the porous tooth surfaces, the hydrogen peroxide emitted whitens your teeth on the microscopic level.

ALD: Do ProBiora’s products replace the probiotics a patient may already be taking, or do they enhance them?

CK: Short answer, neither. Digestive probiotics are found and active in your GI tract, ProBiora3 probiotics are found and active in your mouth, specifically from below the gum line and on the tooth surfaces. There is no competition or overlap between digestive probiotics and oral health probiotics. Where digestive probiotics are meant to be swallowed, ProBiora®Pro is a dissolvable mint meant to melt in your mouth, releasing the probiotic bacteria quickly into the oral cavity and its tissues.

We recommend using at the end of one’s oral care regimen (brushing and flossing), preferably before going to bed. This gives the bacteria the maximum opportunity to populate the mouth while you sleep. One note, if mouthwash or rinse is part of one’s regimen, wait 30 minutes before dissolving the ProBioraPro mint.

ALD: Has there been any research that supports the efficacy of the strains of probiotic bacteria that are part of the ProBiora formula?

CK: Absolutely, we have at least 20 studies or published articles supporting the research, efficacy and results of using ProBiora3. They can be found in the knowledge library of our website.

ALD: Your product line includes ProBioraPlus, ProBioraXtra, and ProBioraPro, how are these products different?

CK: ProBioraPlus® and ProBioraXtra® are the normal-strength products available direct to consumers in 30-day quantities. ProBioraPlus has a mild mint flavor, contains all-natural ingredients and is packaged in a bottle for easy at home use. ProBioraXtra has an extra minty flavor with aspartame sweeter and is packaged in a blister package that is easy for those who travel or are on the go.

ProBioraPro® is our professional high-strength product, packaged in a bottle of 90-day quantities. It is designed to be sold by or recommended by dental or health professionals to their patients as a follow-up to treatments or to promote oral health. Dentists can offer ProBioraPro as part of a treatment from their office stock or can refer their patients to our website, where patients will be asked to identify their dental office for retail credit.

ALD: What approach should dentists and hygienists take when educating their patients about the benefits of taking a probiotic specifically formulated for oral health? What results can patients expect?

CK: When I speak about ProBiora products, I speak of the battle between the good and bad bacteria that is happening in your mouth every day. This bacteria balance is constantly challenged by stress, diet, medication, poor oral hygiene and lifestyle choices. All this is helping the bad guys.

Dissolving one mint a day reinforces the good guys/beneficial bacteria to win that battle on a daily basis for overall health.

Dentists and Hygienists also know that other medical conditions can be related to poor oral health. ProBioraPro is an easy way to extend the healthy mouth beyond each cleaning or treatment. We like to say, “A Healthy Body starts with a Healthy Mouth!” Most patients will feel and see a difference within 30 days.

ALD: Why are ProBiora products an effective adjunct to laser therapy for periodontitis and or peri-implantitis?

CK: Prior to most dental treatments, patients are given a mouth rinse meant to kill all the bacteria in their mouths, both good and bad. Following the treatments, the biome of the mouth is in a fragile state. ProBioraPro gives the patient a head start in repopulating the mouth with beneficial bacteria and maintaining a continuously healthy balance with daily use.

ALD: Could you explain the advantage of joining the ProBiora Professional Partnership program?

CK: ProBiora Health offers the dental professional two partnership models:

Option 1: Purchase ProBioraPro at wholesale pricing to dispense at retail prices as part of a treatment or as a supplemental product to their patients’ care.

Option 2: Refer ProBioraPro to patients through the ProBiora Health website where patients are requested to identify their dental professional for retail credit. Patients can also order auto-shipments to maintain their oral regimen with ProBioraPro.

We make it easy both for the dentist to provide benefit to their patients and for the patients to maintain their oral health.

ALD: One final question – many dental professionals and their patients own cats and dogs. Tell us about ProBiora® Pet.

CK: Dogs and cats have the same oral care issues as we do. The same battle is going on in the pet’s mouth as in ours. We love our pets, but no one likes bad breath in a pet. At the same time, many pet owners are reluctant to have their pet put under anesthesia for teeth cleaning. Adding a scoop of ProBiora®Pet powder into your pet’s food each day will reinforce the beneficial bacteria that, over time, will crowd out the bad bacteria. You will notice an improvement in 30 days.

ALD: Thank you, Christine. We look forward to seeing you in Dallas during dentistry’s laser meeting! Learn more about ProBioraPro here.

Note: The Academy of Laser Dentistry (ALD) is a non-profit association committed to providing an open-minded and commercially unbiased perspective on the benefits of laser dentistry by facilitating inclusive, rather than exclusive, discussions among practitioners, manufacturers, educators and regulators alike. We invite all dental professionals to join us in Dallas from April 4-6 for the ALD 2019 Annual Conference & Exposition.

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Copyright 2019 Academy of Laser Dentistry

The Academy of Laser Dentistry is an international professional membership association of dental practitioners and supporting organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of patients through the proper use of laser technology. The Academy is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, research, and education and to the exchange of information relative to the art and science of the use of lasers in dentistry. The views expressed and materials presented represent the personal views of the individuals and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Academy of Laser Dentistry. While the ALD Education Committee and General and Scientific Sessions committee is responsible for the selection of faculty and presenters and approving the specific content of CE activities, the Academy assumes no responsibility for the content made by individual participants or groups of participants. Selected presentations may include exploratory research or experimental procedures and are intended for informational purposes that may lead to new interest and scientific breakthroughs in the fields of dentistry.