New Chocolate-Flavored Soft Chews Good for Your Teeth

New Chocolate-Flavored Soft Chews Good for Your Teeth

BasicBites™ contain breakthrough technology developed at Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY and Roslyn Heights, NY – July 9, 2014 – A dream come “chew” for your teeth? Researchers at

Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine and Ortek Therapeutics, Inc. have developed a

chocolate-flavored soft chew that is actually beneficial for your teeth. BasicBites™ is a sugar-free

chewy that helps maintain healthy teeth by supporting the normal acid-base (pH) levels that exist

on tooth surfaces while coating the teeth with a mineral source.

BasicBites are designed to mimic saliva’s profound and natural benefits. It is a new oral care product

that contains AlkaGen Technology™. Based on more than 40 years of research in the field of oral

biology and saliva chemistry, the AlkaGen Technology was developed by Israel Kleinberg, DDS,

PhD, DSc, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology, and Director

of the Division of Translational Oral Biology at Stony Brook. Internationally recognized in the field

of salivary and microbial research, Dr. Kleinberg has spent decades investigating the biochemistry

and physiology of human mixed bacterial communities, especially those in the mouth that interact

with saliva in supporting oral health. His findings and subsequent research led to the development

of AlkaGen Technology.

The saliva-mimicking technology in BasicBites consists of two main ingredients – arginine bicarbonate

and calcium carbonate. Arginine is a common amino acid found in saliva and is naturally present

in many foods. Arginine supports the sustained base or alkali production on the surfaces of the

teeth. This helps keep tooth surfaces in the existing normal pH range, allowing the calcium to coat

and support healthy tooth structure.

“The ingredients in BasicBites mirror the vital nutrients that

are found in healthy saliva,” says Dr. Kleinberg. “We spent

decades analyzing and literally taking apart saliva, and we

eventually solved the puzzle of the protective and natural

benefits of saliva. This has led to a new paradigm in the

science of oral care. Keeping the pH of teeth in balance is

extremely important. This is especially critical for individuals

with dry mouth and those who consume excessive acid rich

foods and beverages.”

“The technology in BasicBites is recognized as a major breakthrough in oral care,” said Mitchell

Goldberg, President of Ortek. “We all want to support the health of our teeth and BasicBites are a

delicious and portable oral care product based on incredible research and scientific results.”

According to Peter Donnelly, Director of Stony Brook’s Office of Technology Licensing and Industry

Relations, the introduction of BasicBites is another example of the long-standing and commercially

successful research and licensing collaboration between Stony Brook and Ortek. This technology

breakthrough was a team effort that included support from Stony Brook University’s Center for

Biotechnology and the collaborative work of the Office of Technology Licensing and Industry

Relations with the School of Dental Medicine at Stony Brook University.

BasicBites, 20 calories per piece, is available exclusively from Ortek at its website, www.basicbites.com.

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