Oral Maintain
The step that decides whether your Oral Repair-4 result lasts. A once-daily probiotic lozenge designed to be taken for a minimum of 6 months after the 28-day Repair-4 program — because supplemented oral probiotic strains decline within 7–10 days of cessation, and the dysbiosis pattern that drove your symptoms (F. nucleatum overgrowth, low diversity, halitosis) reasserts itself without ongoing colonisation pressure. Built to be reordered every month, no thought required.
Eradication is half the job. Maintenance is the other half.
Oral Repair-4 clears the pathogens, disrupts the biofilm, and reseeds the diversity your oral microbiome was missing. It cannot, in 28 days, make those colonisations permanent. Research consistently shows that supplemented oral probiotic strains begin to decline within 7–10 days of cessation — and the dysbiosis pattern that drove your symptoms (F. nucleatum overgrowth, low diversity, halitosis-producing organisms) is the steady state your mouth returns to without ongoing colonisation pressure.
The oral cavity is the second most diverse microbial habitat in the body — over 700 species across nine distinct surfaces (tongue, gums, teeth, cheeks, tonsils, saliva, etc). Holding microbial balance across that complexity requires daily strain delivery, and a once-daily lozenge is the lowest-friction way to do it.
Oral Maintain is built to be the easy answer: one lozenge at night, dissolved slowly after brushing, reordered monthly for at least six months. Nothing to think about, nothing to deviate from.
One lozenge. One ongoing routine.
Targeted Oral Re-colonisation
Weissella cibaria CMU strain (8 billion CFU per lozenge — 1 per day at night)
W. cibaria CMU colonises the oral cavity surfaces specifically — tongue, gums, teeth, cheeks — outcompeting the pathogenic species that drive oral dysbiosis. In two randomised controlled trials it demonstrated a 5-log reduction in Fusobacterium nucleatum, significant reductions in volatile sulphur compounds (the source of halitosis), and strong competitive exclusion across the oral biofilm.
Daily — keep the right bugs anchored across all nine oral habitats.
Slow-Dissolve Mucosal Contact
Lozenge format — once daily at night, dissolved slowly after brushing
Capsules don't work for the oral microbiome — the bacteria need to colonise the mucosal surfaces of the mouth, not just transit through it. The slow-dissolve lozenge prolongs contact with the tongue, gums, and teeth, allowing W. cibaria to establish across the oral biofilm. Timing matters: take after brushing teeth at night so the strain isn't immediately rinsed away.
Daily — let the strain stick where it needs to colonise.
Maintain the Conditions That Worked
Continued oral hygiene + dietary patterns from Repair-4
The lozenge doesn't work in isolation — it works alongside the oral hygiene patterns established in Repair-4. Continue brushing twice daily, flossing daily, tongue scraping, and the dietary patterns that limit sugar-feeding for cariogenic and periodontal pathogens. Avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes that disrupt the rebuilt community.
Daily — give the strain the conditions to do its work.
Why six months is the minimum.
From Repair-4 to durable oral eubiosis.
Transition straight into Maintain.
Order when 1 week of Oral Repair-4 Phase 2 remains so the first 30-day pack arrives before Phase 2 ends. The handover should be seamless — no gap, no waiting for halitosis, bleeding gums, or coated tongue to nudge you back.
Once-daily night routine.
One lozenge at night after brushing teeth. Let it dissolve slowly in your mouth — do not chew or swallow whole. Continue brushing twice daily, flossing daily, tongue scraping, and the dietary patterns established in Repair-4. Avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes that disrupt the rebuilt community.
Re-test your oral microbiome.
Repeat your oral microbiome test (and gut test if originally performed) at the 6-month mark to objectively validate diversity improvements, confirm pathogen levels have stayed down, and decide — with your Microbiome Doctor — whether to step down, continue, or extend Maintain further.
Questions, answered.
Do I have to finish Oral Repair-4 before starting Maintain?
Yes. Oral Maintain is designed as the step that follows the full 28-day Repair-4 program — Phase 1 eradication (chlorhexidine rinse, propolis biofilm disruptor, immune support) + Phase 2 rebuild (high-potency synbiotic + the oral probiotic lozenge). Starting Maintain without first clearing pathogens and disrupting the biofilm means dosing the lozenge into a mouth that's still dominated by the wrong organisms. Complete Repair-4 first, then transition directly into Maintain at the end of Phase 2 with no gap.
Why six months minimum? Can I stop earlier if my breath, gums, and tongue are clear?
Feeling fine is not the marker — sustained microbial diversity is. Supplemented oral probiotic counts begin declining within 7–10 days of cessation, and the dysbiosis pattern (F. nucleatum, halitosis-producing organisms, low diversity) can re-establish before symptoms come back. The 6-month minimum exists because that's the timeframe over which the rebuilt oral microbiome consolidates and W. cibaria-dominant ecology becomes self-sustaining. Stopping earlier is the most common cause of recurrence we see in clinic.
How do I take the lozenge each day?
One lozenge at night, after brushing teeth. Let it dissolve slowly in your mouth — do not chew or swallow whole. The slow dissolution is what allows the W. cibaria strain to make contact with the tongue, gums, teeth, and cheeks long enough to colonise. Avoid eating, drinking, or rinsing for 30 minutes after the lozenge dissolves. Your digital Maintenance Guide includes the full night routine plus daily oral-hygiene prompts.
When should I order my next 30-day pack?
Order your next pack 1 week before your current supply runs out so there's no gap. The product is set up to be reordered monthly across the 6-month minimum maintenance window — six packs back-to-back. Most patients set a recurring calendar reminder at the 3-week mark of each pack.
Can I still use mouthwash?
Avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes — they disrupt the rebuilt microbial community indiscriminately, including the W. cibaria strain you're paying to keep. Continue brushing twice daily, flossing daily, and tongue scraping. If you want an additional rinse, a non-alcoholic saline or essential-oil-based rinse used in the morning (not at night) is generally safe, but discuss with your Microbiome Doctor before adding anything to the routine.
Does the lozenge need to be refrigerated?
No. The lozenge uses a stomach-acid-resistant vial technology that maintains strain viability at room temperature. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
Discuss with your Microbiome Doctor before continuing in pregnancy or breastfeeding. The W. cibaria CMU strain is generally considered well-tolerated, but oral microbiome interventions in pregnancy should be supervised. Do not start or continue without clinical clearance.
Should I re-test at 6 months?
Yes. A repeat oral microbiome test (and gut microbiome test if originally performed) at the 6-month mark objectively validates diversity improvements, confirms whether pathogen levels (F. nucleatum, P. gingivalis, periodontal markers) have stayed down, and decides whether to step down, continue Maintain, or extend further. Symptoms alone are an unreliable guide — testing is the only way to know.
Important — general advice only. Information presented on this page is general health information and is not personal medical advice. Always consult your treating practitioner before starting any new supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, immunocompromised, or taking prescription medications.
These products are listed complementary medicines and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Microbiome Clinic has no commercial affiliation with any specific supplement brand included in this protocol — supplements are selected on the basis of clinical evidence alone, in line with the Microbiome Clinic Independence Guarantee.