Chr. Hansen breaks into oral health sector with probiotic lozenge launch

30 Nov 2020 --- Chr. Hansen is entering the dental health segment with a dissolvable probiotic lozenge that can help reduce acid-producing bacteria in the mouth. 

Three years in the making, the launch addresses consumer demand for convenient solutions boasting scientifically backed ingredients, such as the company’s probiotic strains LGG and L. Casei 431, to maintain oral health and offset the risk of developing cavities.

“We are excited to offer a solution with a dual mode of action: microbiological with probiotics and biochemical with arginine,” Linda Neckmar, head of commercial development, human health at Chr. Hansen, tells NutritionInsight. 

“We also see a strong potential of launching this product not only as a dietary supplement, but also positioning it next to the mainstream dental care products such as toothpastes and toothbrushes,” she explains.

The probiotic lozenge arrives as part of the company’s 2025 strategy to expand its probiotics offering in new health areas, such as women’s and oral health.

“The global oral health care market is seeing strong growth,” adds Neckmar.

“If we take today’s probiotic users into consideration, the global target population for this concept is over 9 million people. Looking at the broader oral health space, we see a potential consumer base of over 39 million.” 

Click to EnlargeChr. Hansen’s probiotic lozenges supplement regular oral hygiene routine.Oral health for all ages
The Danish bioscience player sees the consumption of sugar is at its highest – mostly in well developed countries where the prevalence of dental cavities directly correlates with a high sugar consumption. 

“The concept gives global and local dietary supplements, oral care or even confectionery brands an opportunity to expand their portfolios with a natural probiotic solution,” affirms Neckmar.

Chr. Hansen highlights that different consumer groups struggle with varied oral health issues. Teens wearing braces, for example, are more at risk of increased plaque levels and risk of developing cavities. 

Older consumers, on the other hand, are at risk of dental cavities caused by dental root exposure and reduced saliva production.

Providing a preventative approach to dental hygiene, Chr. Hansen’s affirms its probiotic lozenges contain arginine and can be used by both adults and children above three in addition to the regular oral hygiene routine. 

The World Health Organization flags that an estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide are affected by oral diseases. It is therefore calling for a “reform of oral health systems” to shift the focus from invasive dental treatment to prevention and more minor treatment.

Click to EnlargeAn estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide are affected by oral diseases, warns WHO.Gut health and beyond
Chr. Hansen is investing in microbiome and gut health research, where probiotics are increasingly coming to the fore. 

In recent moves, the company detailed the gut microbiome-immune health connection and its acquisition of B2B probiotics company UAS Laboratories LCC to NutritionInsight.

Notably, the company had announced in August that it would allocate 75 percent of its R&D spending toward new product development in microbial platforms and technological capabilities.

Beyond gut and oral health, Chr. Hansen’s investment arm acquired Austrian B2B company HSO Health Care to bolster its position in the probiotics for women’s health space.

Chr. Hansen is not the first business to move toward the dental health supplement space. NutritionInsight previously spoke with PharmaLinea, which said the sector is “unsaturated” and “full of opportunities.” 

As for Chr. Hansen, the company has only just started the dialogue with selected customers in its B2B segment. The lozenges will be available globally to all its customers.

By Anni Schleicher

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