The title probably sounds like an advert, like I’ve been paid to boost the brands digital presence, so I want to start out by saying I haven’t been paid, I actually reached out to Luv Biotics on my own accord.

The reason why is that I’ve become fascinated with both the gut and oral microbiome and want to learn more about the innovative brands in this field.

I have been testing out three products by the British brand, launched by Sujith and Samangi Wijesena in 2020, the toothpaste, mouthwash and lozenges.

The entire way through, I have tried to support any comments with studies and data so as not to make any claims myself regarding certain aspects around dental health.

Why Should I Care About The Oral Microbiome?

One particular quote that stays in my head is that ‘the mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body’, however medical practicioning and dentistry have been split completely despite their close connection.

The gut microbiome has been heavily discussed in the media over the past 5 years, but I haven’t seen much about the oral microbiome, the second largest microbiome after the gut.

You can relatively easily make changes to your oral microbiome and this can have huge effects on your general health. Most people don’t know about the connection with high blood pressure or heart disease, or even Alzheimer’s.

My Personal Dental Health

I was negligent of not visiting the dentist or hygienist for an extended period of time, as well as having bleeding gums.

Bleeding gums is a sign of inflammation and that inflammation can travel, I’m now understanding with time that it’s not something you should ignore but something you should take seriously, just like you would a skin wound that was bleeding.

I set a new year’s resolution to start taking it seriously and one year later, I have visited the hygienist 3 times in order to improve my oral health, as well as starting to floss each day, but there is always more I could do.

My dream would be to get an oral microbiome test one day soon, but for the moment I’m starting off smaller, as that looks like it will cost around £170.

Luv Biotics Toothpaste

I strongly believe you get what you pay for. You can opt for a £1 toothpaste from your local supermarket, but will it contain any ingredients that you’re after, or will it contain them at a useful dosage?

Maintaining oral health goes beyond just brushing your teeth. The Luv Biotics toothpaste contains the specific oral care benefitting Lactobacillus paracasei probiotic strain.

This strain has shown in studies to have positive effects on both gingivitis and cavities.

The toothpaste is also fluoride free, while it contains xylitol, something I’ve started to add to my coffee once per day. It might sound odd when you think of xylitol as a ‘sweetener’, but it can help reduce tooth decay and preventing plaque.

The taste wasn’t any different to my former traditional toothpaste, so you don’t have to worry about compensating for an intense taste.

Luv Biotics Lozenges

I looked at the size and got a bit worried about swallowing it, before remembering it was a lozenge, so you just allow it to slowly dissolve in your mouth.

You can either have these directly after cleaning your teeth, or after a meal when brushing is not immediately possible. I preferred to take it 30 minutes after lunch, when I’m not brushing.

As with the toothpaste, the lozenges contained dental priobiotics, with the focus on Lactobacillus reuteri. According to this study, this bacterium can replenish with useful bacteria and decrease the harmful ones in your mouth. This study of lozenges containing Lactobacillus reuteri showed a reduction of oral pathogens from consumption, which is fascinating to me.

The lozenges also contained aloe vera gel, which has antibacterial properties to tackle and prevent oral diseases.

The taste was minty, as you would expect with an oral product, while it had dissolved within about 5 minutes.

Luv Biotics Probiotic Mouthwash

Earlier this year I had my wisdom tooth out. As part of this process, I started using a chlorhexidine antibacterial mouthwash. However I later researched more around this mouthwash and found that, while it was effective at killing the bacteria that gives you bad breath and could help fight plaque, it potentially had long term issues.

Chlorhexidine was shown to reduce microbial diversity, killing both the good and bad bacteria. Considering I had been recommended to keep using this product for life, I now felt uneasy and wanted to learn more before using dental products regularly.

The Luv Biotics probiotic mouthwash doesn’t contain any of these harsh ingredients that kill all the bacteria. It’s free from alcohol, while it also contains peppermint oil (mentha piperita oil), something many dental experts utilise and recommend if you were to make your own homemade mouthwash (along with xylitol which is present).

In regards to my personal regime, I initially used the TePe interdental toothpicks, I would brush my teeth with the Luv Biotics toothpaste for 2 minutes (set with the electric toothbush timer) and then use the Luv Biotics mouthwash.

 

I’m so happy with all three of these products, this was beyond just an interesting experiment, it’s something I’m adopting for life. I can’t recommend enough looking into what you’re currently using, whether it contains harsh ingredients and considering a switch to Luv Biotics.