An oral probiotic formulation, ProBiora, uses three specific streptococcus bacterial strains that are found solely in the mouth. These friendly bacteria crowd out the bad, disease-causing bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot reach, between teeth and below the gum line.
“For retailers, ProBiora provides a great opportunity to fill a missing gap on their oral-care shelves,” said Susanne Reimer-Fey, who represents the company. “Additionally, they can benefit from the increasing consumer interest in both oral care and probiotics , as well as the desire for convenient oral-care products.”
Probiotics and gut health
Oral care represents one of those new frontiers of probiotic research and development, but the core for probiotics remains digestive health. And digestive health is a perfect category to talk about the difference between supplement shelves and drug stores.
OTC digestive health stalwarts hone in on acute digestive complaints up and down the GI tract. These include fast-acting Tums’ calcium carbonate for heartburn or milk of magnesia for “transit” issues like constitution. While modulating the body’s beneficial bacteria, can have positive health benefits, it can take a week, maybe three, for consumers to experience digestive relief through the use of probiotics. This actually makes the sale of a single bottle of probiotics just about a perfect pitch to consumers and stores alike.
[Read more: Welly debuts OTC medicine, dietary supplements]
OTC medicines for upset stomach or other gastrointestinal symptoms can be used to self-manage minor and acute conditions when used as directed. If symptoms don’t resolve after a short period, it’s time to consult a pharmacist or healthcare provider.
“Once it has been established that there is no serious condition causing symptoms, it could be appropriate to take dietary supplements such as probiotics,” Kochanowski said. “Although supplements and OTCs tend to appeal to consumers committed to self-care, note that there is a clear line between short-term use of OTC medicines to manage acute conditions and daily use of dietary supplements.”
Dietary supplements and OTC products that contain probiotics, or otherwise modulate the body’s microbiome, are natural, on-trend — and effective. That’s a win all the way around.