The Oral Balance Test
One simple saliva sample measures the bacteria that research links to cavities and gum disease — a clear, trackable picture from our CLIA-certified lab.
Launch price — through November 30, 2026
- What's measured: sixteen key bacteria
- Collection: about two minutes at home
- Timing: about a week from mailing to results; processed within 2 business days of reaching our lab
CLIA-certified, COLA-accredited lab Norman, OK
What’s included
- Complete saliva collection kit Everything you need to collect one sample at home.
- Prepaid return shipping Mail it back — no cost, no trip to a lab.
- Your full Balance Report Sixteen key bacteria, five scores, plain-language guidance.
- A result to take to your dentist Bring it to your dentist and go through it together at your next appointment.
Not yet available in AK, CA, CT, HI, MD, MA, NJ, NY, RI. Get notified when it reaches your state
Ships free · results in your private OraPath account.
What this test is — and isn’tThe Balance Test measures bacteria in your saliva that research links to cavities and gum disease. It doesn’t diagnose any condition and isn’t a substitute for a dental exam — results are meant to be reviewed with your dentist alongside an examination and your history.
Laboratory developed test · for adjunctive clinical use · not FDA cleared.
Brushing and flossing don’t tell you what’s actually there.
Research links cavities and gum disease to specific bacteria — and you can’t see, feel, or brush your way to knowing which ones you have. The Balance Test measures them directly, so you and your dentist are working from evidence instead of guesswork.
See the specific bacteria
We measure sixteen key bacteria — the ones research ties to decay and gum disease — not a vague “oral health score.”
Protective vs. disruptive
Your report shows the balance between the bacteria that protect your mouth and the ones working against it — and where you land.
Track what you change
Retest over time to see whether your habits, products, or treatment are actually moving the needle.
A report built to be read — not decoded.
No wall of numbers. Your Balance Report turns the lab results into a clear picture and plain language — so you and your dentist can go through it together.
- Your Oral Balance Score One headline number for where your mouth stands today.
- Four supporting scores Protective Bacteria, Bacteria to Keep in Check, Nitric Oxide Bacteria, and the Gum Health Focus (1–5).
- Sixteen key bacteria The protective and disruptive species we measure, mapped out.
- Plain-language next steps What they mean in plain language, and what to raise at your next dental visit.
Go through it with your dentist, then retest.
Review it with your dentist
The report separates the bacterial load from your protective reserve, so you and your dentist can tell whether the useful move is reducing pressure, rebuilding defenses, or both.
Retest to see whether it moved
Most people tracking a change retest at 60 to 90 days, then settle into roughly every six months once things are stable.
How the at-home test works
No dental chair, no lab visit. Four simple steps from your doorstep to a report you can actually understand.
Order your kit
Buy online and we ship a complete saliva collection kit to your door — free.
Collect at home
Follow the simple instructions to give a small saliva sample. It takes about two minutes, no appointment.
Mail it back
Seal it in the prepaid return envelope and drop it in the mail. It heads straight to our CLIA-certified lab.
Read your results
About a week from the day you mail it — most of that is transit, since your sample is processed within 2 business days of reaching our lab. Your full Balance Report lands in your private OraPath account with clear scores and next steps.
Common questions
How accurate is an at-home saliva test?
It’s the same validated test dental practices order — run in our own CLIA-certified lab on the sample you collect. Saliva collection is simple and hard to get wrong, and the lab work is identical to an in-office order.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. The Balance Test measures bacteria in your saliva that research links to cavities and gum disease. It doesn’t diagnose any condition, it can’t tell you whether you have one, and it isn’t a substitute for a dental exam. Your results are meant to be reviewed by a dental professional alongside an examination and your history — bring your report to your next appointment and go through it together.
Can I use this instead of going to the dentist?
No — and we'd rather say that plainly than sell you something on a false promise. This measures bacteria in your saliva. It can't see a cavity, check your gums, or look at bone, and it doesn't diagnose anything. Only an exam can do that. What it can do is give you real information and a reason to go, which for a lot of people is the part that's been missing.
My gums don't bleed and my last cleaning was fine. Is there anything here for me?
Possibly — that's the reason to measure rather than assume. A visual exam and a probe find what's already happened to the tissue. A bacterial panel describes what's present now, which is a different question. Plenty of people with unremarkable exams carry meaningful levels of the organisms on this panel, and plenty of people with symptoms have a protective side that's holding up better than they'd guess.
If I find something, what can I actually do about it?
The report is built to be actionable: it separates the bacterial load from your protective reserve, so you and your dentist can tell whether the useful move is reducing pressure, rebuilding defenses, or both. Then you retest and see whether it moved. Most people tracking a change retest at 60 to 90 days, then settle into roughly every six months once things are stable.
Does the collection hurt?
No. You let saliva pool in your mouth and spit into a small tube until it reaches the fill line. No swab, no scraping, no needle, nothing goes in your mouth. It takes about two minutes and you can stop and start as you like.
Do I have to talk to anyone?
No. You order online, collect at home, and mail it back. There's no appointment, no phone call, and no consultation to sit through. Your results go to your private OraPath account and nobody else is notified — sharing them is entirely your decision.
How long until I get results?
Your report is ready within 2 business days of your sample reaching our lab — about a week from the day you mail it, once transit both ways is counted. You’ll get it in your private OraPath account.
Can I retest to see whether anything changed?
Yes — that's where the test earns its keep. Most people tracking an intervention retest at 60 to 90 days, then settle into roughly every six months once things are stable. Each Detection Level step is about twice as much bacteria as the one below it, so the comparison is readable rather than a matter of interpretation.
Is it FDA cleared?
No. It's a Laboratory-Developed Test, validated under CLIA by IMMYLabs (CLIA 37D2236199, COLA 32679) under a doctorate-level laboratory director. That's the standard regulatory path for tests of this class rather than a gap we're glossing over — but it does mean the test is for adjunctive use, doesn't diagnose any condition, and is meant to be read alongside a clinical exam rather than instead of one.
Which states do you ship to?
We ship the at-home Balance Test to most US states, but not yet to AK, CA, CT, HI, MD, MA, NJ, NY, RI. Those states apply extra requirements to at-home lab testing, and we've held them back from this first launch rather than cut corners. We're working through them.
If you're in one of those states and want the test, ask your dental practice — they can order OraPath panels for you directly.
Not in your state yet
We can't ship the test to you yet. We'll tell you the day that changes.
Lab licensing works state by state, and a few are still in progress. If you're in one of them, leave your email and we'll let you know the moment the Oral Balance Test is available where you live — nothing else.
- Alaska
- California
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- Rhode Island
Before you go
The sample report is open to read.
All six pages — every organism named, the five scores and the organisms behind them, and every systemic association labeled by how strong the evidence actually is. No email needed to read it.
An occasional note about the test and what we're learning from it. Unsubscribe any time.
Thanks
You're on the list.
We'll be in touch now and then. In the meantime, the sample report is open whenever you want it.