Frequently Asked Questions
How do you describe the active ingredient in your products?
The active ingredient in our products is a safe, non-toxic anitmicrobial technology which is not and antibiotic or oxidizing agent. All the ingredients are listed on the label of each product.
Are your products approved by the FDA?
Our products are designated by the FDA as cosmetic products, and they have been since 1999. The FDA is informed about what is in our products, as well as the non-toxic nature of the products themselves. There are no unusual restrictions placed on the sale of our products by the FDA.
What are biofilms?
When planktonic (free floating) microorganisms, like bacteria, attach to a surface and gather in groups, they produce an extra-cellular matrix called a biofilm. This activity also causes certain changes in the genotypic (genetic) expressions in these microorganisms as well an an array of phenotypic changes (changes in physical shape). All planktonic microorganisms are capable of producing corresponding biofilm populations, often rather quickly.
Biofilms provide a protective environment for microorganisms to exist within the biofilm mass. This protective environment plus a series of genotypic and phenotypic changes provide these biofilm microorganisms with complete immunity to treatment with antibiotics, except in amounts that would be fatal to the patient. For the same reason, biofilm microorganisms are not affected by the body’s own infection-resistance mechanisms.
Dental plaque, a very common biofilm, has been found to contain more than 500 types of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, spores, and even amoebas. Many of these microorganisms are the same ones that are the causes of dental cavities, gingivitis, cold sores, and periodontal disease. This helps to explain why periodontal disease, for example, is so resistant to antibiotic treatments of any kind, topical or systemic.
How do your products act on biofilms?
Biofilms are killed by specialized antimicrobials penetrating the biofilm mass and killing the microorganisms inside. In some instances such a process may also include the dismantling and detachment of the biofilm mass itself.
How fast does this happen?
This varies depending on the biofilm in question. Studies have shown complete kill and detachment of biofilms in as little as 15 seconds.
How are planktonic microorganisms killed?
Planktonic bacteria are typically killed using antibiotics. Antibiotics kill bacteria by interfering with the formation of the bacteria's cell wall, the contents of the cell, or by stopping the bacteria from multiplying. Other planktonic microorganisms, like viruses and fungi for example, may be killed using oxidizing agents, acids, or alcohol.
What is the shelf life of your products?
We recommend that our products be used within 18 months, although our studies show that they are effective beyond that period of time.
Are there any special storage requirements?
Storage under normal ambient temperatures like those found in a dental office or home is just fine. Do not refrigerate any EXXCL Oral Care products.
Can my patients simply use EXXCL Oral Blue Mouthwash and continue to use their usual toothpaste?
We do not recommend any common brand of toothpaste for use in conjunction with any of our products.
What about regular mouthwash? Aren’t some of these antibacterial?
Yes, nearly all of the commercially available mouthwashes are antibacterial to some degree. But they are only effective against planktonic bacteria. None has any significant effect on biofilms, which constitute the vast majority of chronic oral infections. We do not recommend using any common brand of mouthwash in conjunction with any of our products.
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