GumAktiv Ingredients: What's in the Formula?

GumAktiv is a tablet, described by its seller as a chewable, marketed for oral health that combines probiotics with a prebiotic fiber. Its Supplement Facts label lists inulin, a proprietary blend of three probiotics and a fourth probiotic, Streptococcus salivarius, along with flavoring and other ingredients. This page looks only at the formula: what the label shows, what the seller claims, what independent research says about each ingredient, and what we couldn't determine. For the price, refund terms and our overall assessment, see our GumAktiv review.

GumAktiv Ingredients at a Glance

This is the Supplement Facts label shown on the seller's page, transcribed as published. The serving size is 1 tablet, with 30 servings per container.

Other ingredients listed: tricalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), natural strawberry flavor and peppermint essential oil.

Directions on the label: take 1 or 2 tablets a day. Let one tablet melt under your tongue after brushing, chew it slowly or take it with a large glass of water. The label advises people who are pregnant or nursing, children under 18 and people with a known medical condition to consult a physician first.

Where the Seller's Materials Differ From the Label

The seller's sales page and the label shown on that same page don't describe the formula in the same way:

This article covers only the ingredients on the label, and notes malic acid separately because the seller's own page lists it.

How to Read the Probiotic Blend

Three details on the label limit what anyone can say about GumAktiv's probiotics.

Strains. Probiotics are identified by genus, species and strain. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) explains this naming, and NCCIH (opens in a new tab) notes that different types of probiotics may have different effects. GumAktiv's label names a strain only for B. lactis (BL-04). For L. paracasei, L. reuteri and S. salivarius, it gives the species only.

Amounts. Under FDA labeling rules, a proprietary blend (opens in a new tab) must show its total weight and list its ingredients in descending order by weight, but not the amount of each one. So the label doesn't tell you how many of the 3.5 billion CFU come from each probiotic.

CFU over time. ODS notes that CFU counts can decline over time, which is why some labels state the count through the expiration date. GumAktiv's label states its count "at the time of manufacture."

Our guide to oral probiotics and what the evidence says covers the research on probiotics for gum health, plaque, cavities and bad breath in general. The sections below look only at the specific probiotics on GumAktiv's label.

The Probiotics, One by One

Bifidobacterium lactis BL-04

• What the label says: part of the proprietary blend. This is the only probiotic on the label with a named strain.
• What independent research shows: we searched PubMed for studies of BL-04 related to gums, plaque, cavities, periodontitis or bad breath and didn't find any. The oral health trials we found for B. lactis used a different strain, HN019. A 2018 randomized trial (opens in a new tab) of 41 people with chronic periodontitis found greater improvements in gum pocket depth when HN019 lozenges were added to a professional deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) than with placebo lozenges.
• What we can't conclude: the seller lists that trial among its references, but it studied HN019, not BL-04. Results for one strain don't transfer to another.

Lactobacillus reuteri (strain not named)

• What the label says: part of the proprietary blend, with no strain named.
• What independent research shows: a 2024 systematic review (opens in a new tab) of 11 trials in people with chronic periodontitis concluded that, "based on the limited evidence available," L. reuteri added to scaling and root planing "may provide some additional benefit." Four of the trials had a high risk of bias. For gingivitis, a 2020 meta-analysis (opens in a new tab) found no significant pooled difference in gingival or plaque index for L. reuteri and described the evidence as weak.
• What we can't conclude: these studies tested specific strains, mostly alongside professional dental treatment. Without a named strain, GumAktiv's L. reuteri can't be matched to that research.

Lactobacillus paracasei (strain not named)

• What the label says: part of the proprietary blend, with no strain named.
• What independent research shows: a 2022 randomized trial (opens in a new tab) in 117 healthy adults tested lozenges containing a specific strain, L. paracasei LPc-G110, during two weeks without oral hygiene. It found no difference in its primary outcome, gum bleeding, though gum health recovered somewhat better in the probiotic groups afterward. The authors described a "potential for beneficial effects."
• What we can't conclude: that trial used a named strain in lozenges three times a day. It doesn't show what GumAktiv's unnamed L. paracasei does.

Streptococcus salivarius (strain not named)

• What the label says: 20 mg, listed separately from the blend, with no strain or CFU count.
• What independent research shows: S. salivarius strains, most often K12, have been studied for bad breath. A 2022 meta-analysis (opens in a new tab) of seven trials found that probiotics, including S. salivarius and several other species, may reduce bad breath in the short term (four weeks or less), and the authors noted limited data and differences between studies.
• What we can't conclude: the label doesn't say which S. salivarius strain GumAktiv contains, so its probiotic can't be matched to the strains studied.

Inulin

• What the label says: 100 mg of inulin powder from chicory root.
• What it is: inulin is a fiber that's commonly sold as a prebiotic, a substance that microorganisms can use. Our guide to prebiotics vs probiotics explains the difference.
• What independent research shows: inulin is mainly studied for the gut. We didn't find clinical studies of inulin for gum health, plaque, cavities or bad breath in the sources we reviewed.

The Other Ingredients and Malic Acid

• Tricalcium phosphate and microcrystalline cellulose are listed as other ingredients, not as part of the Supplement Facts amounts. The label doesn't present them as active ingredients, and we found no clinical evidence for either in a supplement for oral health.
• Peppermint essential oil and natural strawberry flavor are also listed as other ingredients, likely for flavor. The seller's reference list includes a laboratory study of peppermint oil and bacteria, which isn't clinical evidence in people.
• Malic acid appears on the sales page but not on the label. A 2023 meta-analysis (opens in a new tab) of five trials found that a 1% malic acid spray improved dry mouth symptoms. That research concerns a spray applied in the mouth, and it doesn't apply to an ingredient that isn't on GumAktiv's label.

Evidence Summary by Ingredient

What the Seller Claims, and What the Evidence Shows

The label also states that its statements haven't been evaluated by the FDA and that the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Safety Considerations

We found no safety study of GumAktiv itself. According to ODS, probiotics are unlikely to cause harm in healthy people, and side effects are usually minor, such as gas. ODS also notes that probiotics have been linked to serious infections, mostly in people who are severely ill or have weakened immune systems.

Talk with a healthcare professional before using GumAktiv if you:

• have a weakened immune system or a serious illness
• are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are considering it for a child (the label advises against use under 18 without a physician's advice)
• take medicines or have a medical condition
• have gum bleeding, swelling, tooth pain or persistent bad breath, which are reasons to see a dentist rather than to self-treat

Supplements Don't Replace Oral Care

According to NIDCR's guidance on oral hygiene (opens in a new tab) and tooth decay (opens in a new tab), the habits with the strongest support for preventing tooth decay and gum disease are brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth daily, limiting sugary foods and drinks, avoiding tobacco and seeing a dentist regularly. No probiotic has been shown to replace these steps.

What to Check Before Buying GumAktiv

If you're considering GumAktiv, the label on the bottle you receive is your best source of information about its formula:

• Compare the ingredient list with the label described here, including whether it lists malic acid.
• Look for strain names for L. paracasei, L. reuteri and S. salivarius.
• Note whether the CFU count is stated at manufacture or through the expiration date.
• Ask the seller for any study of the finished product if its claims matter to your decision.

The link below is an affiliate link. It leads to the GumAktiv sales page described in this article, where orders are handled by Digistore24. That page isn't operated by Wellness Guide Lab.

The Bottom Line

GumAktiv's Supplement Facts label lists 100 mg of inulin, a 20 mg probiotic blend of L. paracasei, L. reuteri and B. lactis BL-04 (3.5 billion CFU at manufacture), and 20 mg of S. salivarius. The seller's sales page describes the formula differently, including malic acid, which isn't on the label.

Some of these probiotic species have been studied for gum health or bad breath, but in specific strains, amounts and forms that GumAktiv's label doesn't match, and reviews describe that evidence as limited. We found no study of GumAktiv itself, so its ingredient list can't show what the product does. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth and regular dental visits remain the best-supported ways to care for your teeth and gums.