Frequently Asked Questions

Glad you asked! BLIS is an acronym for Bacteriocin-Like Inhibitory Substances - and the core of our science and advanced probiotics.

Probiotics are good bacteria that have been characterised for their beneficial properties. They work by rapidly reproducing and crowding out any bad bacteria. You might be familiar with probiotics aimed to maintain a good balance in the gut, but your gut is not the only place that has a microbiome worth keeping in balance.

Advanced probiotics are slightly different in that they also crowd out the bad bacteria and discourage them from coming back.

However, not all probiotic strains can do this. BLIS K12 and BLIS M18 are both advanced probiotics strains that utilise Streptococcus salivarius, which means that they have this additional capability.

Streptococcus salivarius is a species of spherical, gram-positive, facultative anaerobic bacteria that is both catalase and oxidase negative. S. salivarius colonises (usually in chains) the mouth and upper respiratory tract of humans just a few hours after birth, making further exposure to the bacteria harmless in most circumstances.

Some strains of S. salivarius are marketed as a probiotic for oral health. Some strains of S. salivarius are found to produce BLIS (the above-mentioned bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances) which crowd out the bad bacteria.

BLIS K12 and BLIS M18 are both specific strains of Streptococcus salivarius and the core of our oral probiotics.

As noted, most probiotics are targeted towards the gut and digestive tract.

Oral probiotics, however, are those that support the mouth and throat, protecting the oral cavity (a fancy way of saying mouth, teeth, gums and throat).

BLIS K12 probiotics populate the mouth and throat with good bacteria, crowding out the bad. In science terms – this is known as ‘bacterial interference’.

By creating a kind of 'forcefield', oral probiotics can support mouth and throat health. BLIS K12 is also used in our FreshBreath kits which restore the balance of good bacteria to the oral cavity and can aid bad breath.

BLIS M18 works in a similar way but it is targeted specifically at the bad bacteria that can cause teeth and gum issues.

In an ideal world, everybody would have the right balance of microbes in their oral cavity. Unfortunately, this is not the case for most people, as only a small portion of the population (around 2 - 5%) have enough Streptococcus salivarius K12 naturally present in the mouth to be effective .

For the rest of us, taking a BLIS probiotic regularly will support the oral cavity with these healthy bacteria and support good oral health.

Yes, it is true, the active ingredient in ThroatGuard PRO®, DailyDefence® and FreshBreath Kit is BLIS K12®.

Each product has been specially designed and formulated to address the goal of the product. ThroatGuard PRO® is our extra-strength throat probiotic with a higher CFU (colony forming unit) count of BLIS K12®  providing higher protection when your body is under threat from illness.

DailyDefence® has a lower CFU in order to keep the balance optimised.

In addition to the BLIS K12® lozenges in the FreshBreath Kit, we have also included an antibacterial mouthwash and tongue scraper - two additional tools that play essential roles in treating bad breath (halitosis).

We’ve found that continuing to use the FreshBreath Kit achieves long-term sustained fresh breath, which supports it being a part of your regular dental hygiene routine.

We know that there is some ongoing effect when taking BLIS K12 but it does drop off if not maintained, so using one FreshBreath Kit will not stop bad breath forever.

The optimal time to recolonise the oral cavity with good bacteria (BLIS K12® or BLIS M18®) is immediately following the course of antibiotics.

It is important to take the full course of antibiotics as they will kill off the bad bacteria that is causing the infection. But, the way antibiotics work is that they also kill the ‘good’ bacteria, which means that if you're taking BLIS products at the same time as antibiotics, the beneficial effects of BLIS won't be as effective.

For optimal results during the day, it is best not to eat or drink at least 30 minutes after taking the lozenge. You can take your daily lozenges whenever is most suitable, and up to 4 lozenges a day. At night, we recommend taking the lozenge/lozenges after brushing your teeth.

We have not conducted any trials in this area yet so we are unable to say if this is an area that BLIS Probiotics® can be utilised for.

We produce BLIS K12® and BLIS M18® predominantly in lozenge form as it is the most effective way to colonise the mouth and throat with the good bacteria. 

Allowing the lozenge to dissolve slowly on the tongue gives our bacteria the best opportunity to work its magic in the mouth and throat area.

We also offer a powdered form which is suitable for children who may struggle to suck on a lozenge.

It's important to note that the lozenge should not be swallowed whole or chewed, as this will not allow for beneficial colonisation to occur. 

We measure the bacteria count in CFU: colony forming units at the date of manufacture.

ToothGuard and ToothGuard Junior (BLIS M18®) contain at least 2.50 billion CFU/dose 

FreshBreath Kit (BLIS K12®) contains at least 1.25 billion CFU/dose.

ThroatGuard PRO® (BLIS K12®) contains at least 2.50 billion CFU/dose.

TravelProtect (BLIS K12®) contains 10 x pre-travel lozenges with at least 2.50 billion CFU/dose and 20 x maintenance lozenges with at least 1.5 billion CFU/dose.

DailyDefence® (BLIS K12®) contains at least 1.25 billion/dose.

DailyDefence Junior (BLIS K12®) contains at least 1.25 billion CFU/dose.

HoneyBlis® and HoneyBlis® with Ginger Extract (BLIS K12) contain at least 1.0 billion CFU/dose.

UltraBLIS® contains Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Bifidobacterium lactis HOWARU Bifido HN019 (combined at least 4 billion CFU/lozenge) Streptococcus salivarius K12 (at least 1.50 billion CFU/lozenge)

ElitePRO  (BLIS K12®) contains at least 2.50 billion CFU/dose.

We have carried out studies to show that you may take ThroatGuard Pro® (contains BLIS K12®) and ToothGuard® (contains BLIS M18®) at the same time.

For best results, take one lozenge of ThroatGuard Pro® in the morning and one lozenge of ToothGuard® at night. 

24 hours prior to travel, simply take 4 pre-travel lozenges (within 1 hour) to start building up the good bacteria in your oral cavity, and then take 1 maintenance lozenge every 2 - 3 hours while travelling to your destination to keep the levels of good bacteria at high enough quantities to protect and defend against harmful bacteria. Repeat on return.

Our company, BLIS Technologies Limited, has developed the patented strains BLIS K12® and BLIS M18® strains. We produce our own finished goods which are available here, online, and in selected New Zealand pharmacies.

We also supply those strains as raw materials to manufacturers who sell and distribute in overseas markets. If another brand is correctly displaying the BLIS trademarks and patent statements, it is likely that they have been supplied genuine BLIS K12® or BLIS M18®.

All BLIS Probiotics are sugar-free and gluten-free.

BLIS K12® or BLIS M18® use a dairy base for fermentation, hence the final products may contain trace elements of dairy protein from the fermentation process.  There are no animal derived products added in the BLIS Probiotics lozenge manufacturing process.

We recommend storing BLIS Probiotics below 25 degrees Celsius. They are shelf-stable so they do not need to go into the fridge.

While you shouldn’t incur problems taking a BLIS probiotic alongside other prescription medication, you should seek the advice from your physician. If you are taking antibiotics you should complete the antibiotics before starting to take BLIS Probiotics.

All BLIS probiotics are GRAS approved (Generally Recognised as Safe) by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

We do not recommend using BLIS Probiotics at the same time as taking antibiotics for any condition associated with the ears, nose, throat or mouth.

Antimicrobial mouthwash also kills off good and bad bacteria. If you use antimicrobial mouthwash – always take BLIS Probiotics as the last step in your dental hygiene routine.

The tableting aids are magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and silicon dioxide. None of these are preservatives, they act to hold the lozenges together and are present in very small quantities.

Strawberry: maltodextrin, propylene glycol, strawberry flavour, and ascorbic acid
Vanilla: Maltodextrin, vanilla flavour, acacia gum
Peppermint: Maltodextrin, maltitol, peppermint flavour, acacia gum, citric acid and fatty acid esters of glycerol, silicon dioxide.

The final product has been determined by way of ELISA testing as containing very low trace levels of both Milk Casein and Beta – Lactoglobulin. Based on the VITAL (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) procedure the trace levels of dairy are below the threshold required for cross contact labelling. However, we are making the choice to update all allergen labelling on our products to “contains milk” as we recognise that although milk may only be present in very low levels it could still be present. The allergen labelling currently on our products relates to a cross-contamination risk from a shared factory line which also handles milk powders, however this is no longer the case.​

Ordering & Shipping FAQs

We choose NZ Post as our shipping provider and you can track your order here: https://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/tracking

For international orders DHL Express tracking can be accessed here: https://www.dhl.com/nz-en/home.html

Simply enter the order number you received in your order confirmation email from us. We will also send you an email upon purchase with this information.

If we receive your order during normal working hours (Monday - Friday) we aim to have your order processed and shipped within 24 hours. Orders received over the weekend will be processed accordingly on the following Monday. Public holidays and anniversary dates are an exception.

NZ Post aims for overnight delivery service to most areas, with the exception of rural deliveries. 

DHL Express aims to deliver to most international destinations within 7-10 working days.

We currently ship to most international countries via DHL Express. Shipping charges will be calculated automatically at checkout.

We can ship to the United States from our headquarters in New Zealand. But, to purchase products for residents in the US, please visit our  Amazon US store.

New Zealand

$5.00 flat rate for orders under $50.00 (estimate NZ Post Overnight with Track & Trace, rural areas will take longer.)

FREE shipping for orders over $50.00 (estimate NZ Post Overnight with Track & Trace, rural areas will take longer.)

Australia

We currently ship to Australia via DHL Express.

FREE Shipping for orders over NZ$80.00 (estimated delivery: 7 business days, although rural delivery in Australia may take longer.)

For orders below NZ$80.00, shipping charges will be calculated automatically at checkout. (estimated delivery: 7 business days, although rural delivery in Australia may take longer.)

To change your order please email support@blis.co.nz as soon as possible.  We will endeavour to help but it is dependent on whether the order has already been shipped.

Once shipped, we can’t change the order. Please refer to our Refund Policy for more information.

Refund policy

Please choose carefully when purchasing, as we are not able to issue a refund for anything but a faulty or different product.

Where goods are faulty or are different to the product purchased on the website, we will meet our obligations under the Consumer Guarantees Act to provide a remedy.

Please email us at support@blis.co.nz so that we can resolve any issues and issue you a return authorisation and address. BLIS Probiotics will not be responsible for lost parcels in transit so recommend you use a tracked method of return.

Missing or Damaged Goods

If your product was damaged in transit please send a photo to us at support@blis.co.nz.

On confirmation of the damage, we will send you a replacement product with a prepaid courier bag included for you to return the damaged goods to us.

For missing parcels, we recommend trying NZ Post Track & Trace first, and checking with neighbours. If you are still unable to track down your parcel, contact us and we will investigate with the shipping provider.

If the product you have received, or the amount of product you have received is incorrect,  please contact us at support@blis.co.nz

While we have a world-class science and microbiology team, we are unable to provide you with medical advice. We can however provide detailed information on product-related queries. You should seek any medical advice from your doctor.

We recommend you create an account with our online store via www.blisprobiotics.co.nz and subscribe to our email. That way you can hear about any special promotions that BLIS Probiotics is offering exclusively to our online customers. As a standard practice, we do not offer discounts for bulk purchases through our online store.

If you seeking information on wholesale purchases please contact support@blis.co.nz

Subscriptions

Subscriptions will automatically renew, and your credit card will automatically be charged the subscription price until you cancel your subscription. You can manage your subscription and alter the frequency of delivery, change your address and choice and number of products at any time. You can also cancel your subscription at any time. Please email support@blis.co.nz for assistance if required.

Subscriptions are for your convenience and will automatically renew - your credit card will automatically be charged the subscription price until you cancel your subscription. You can manage your subscription and alter the frequency of delivery (30, 60, 90 days), change your address and alter the type and number of products at any time. You can also pause or cancel your subscription at any time. Please email support@blis.co.nz for assistance if required.

We are proud to be a New Zealand-based company. From research and development, through to manufacturing and packaging, Blis Technologies does it all from our headquarters in Dunedin.

We offer the following payment methods for online orders: Major credit cards VISA and MasterCard; American Express; Google Pay; Apple Pay; Shop Pay or PayPal.

Our online prices are consistent with recommended retail prices (RRP) for shops and pharmacies.