Dr. Curatola actually created the first prebiotic toothpaste, called Revitin. "Probiotics don't work in the mouth because the oral microbiome is very inhospitable for foreign bacteria to set up shop," says Curatola. Prebiotics, on the other hand, can have an effect on your oral microbiome, and "foster balance, nourish, and support a healthy balance of oral bacteria.

Dr. Curatola recommends a product “so natural, you could eat it,” called Revitin. This toothpaste consists of vitamins and minerals that rebalance the microbiome. Whether you’re brushing with it or applying it to your gums like a “gum mask,” it’s designed to reduce inflammation in the mouth and stop gums from bleeding.

While alternative natural toothpastes have since proliferated the market, they often contain sugar alcohols and essential oils, ingredients that Dr. Curatola warns disrupt the balance of bacteria in the mouth too. Frustrated with the prevailing “killing all germs on contact” approach, he created his own vitamin-packed prebiotic toothpaste, Revitin,fifteen years ago, to help consumers maintain a balanced oral microbiome.