More Than Teeth Podcast | Interview with Nate Jones Founder and CEO of Xlear Nasal Spray

Interview with Nate Jones Founder and CEO of Xlear Nasal Spray

‍

Hello everyone, and welcome to another podcast. I'm Dr. Michael Bennett. I'm here with Nate Jones, founder and CEO of Clear.

Thanks for having me on.

You're welcome. Great to have you here. Nate and I've known each other for years and... has it really been that long?

It's been years.

I thought it was just months.

Well, when you're having a good time...

No, it's, it's been four or five, six years. Seven years.

Yeah. Yeah.

Many of you know, as you've listened to this podcast, what's important to me in my patients is that they have a clear nose—that they can breathe easily through their nose. Because if you can't do that, then the filter of the body is not working properly. The immune system's not working. The person can't sleep well. And so for years I prescribed Clear.

I use it in a three-blow technique where patients take a shower or bath before bed, then blow their nose, spray some Clear in—pointing the bottle parallel with the roof of the mouth to reach the right tissues—wait 60 seconds, then blow a second time. I really appreciate Nate Jones and his company pulling this together to have a product like that.

Then, that's all that needs to be said. I guess we're done here.

Yeah, so there's so much more.

‍

Discussion on Medical Models and Healthcare

We were talking before this recording about the medical model that's out there. There's an element of reactivity that's involved in healthcare. There's a symptom—we treat a symptom.

That is the gorilla. That is the elephant part of it. Our medicine is physician-model-based, and it's the same as our drug model. We have way too many of them.

I was looking at the U.S. Surgeon General's report from 2010, and they estimated there would be a shortage of primary care physicians. But perhaps that shortage isn't the true problem. What's your mission as a company in terms of that? Do you feel like you have a role to play in helping to change it?

I absolutely feel like we do.

‍

Clear’s Product Line and Health Philosophy

Spry is obviously our oral care line, and the Clear nasal products use xylitol for the upper airway. When we looked at expanding our product line, we had dental floss and toothbrushes, but we discontinued them. Our focus is where we can really make a difference. For example, our toothpaste is based on changing the oral microbiome—transforming it from acid-producing bacteria to neutral bacteria using xylitol.

When we're talking about how xylitol prevents tooth decay, it's a completely different model than fluoride. Fluoride strengthens enamel. Xylitol changes the bacterial environment. So together, they're better.

Exactly. That's what the Spry Dental Defense System is all about. We can back it up with science. Our oral care products save money in the long run. The same applies to our upper respiratory products. I've only been sick once in 22 years. My kids? Never.

So you have a really low medical deductible?

No, our deductible is high—like $12,000. Because we don't use it.

So your health savings account just keeps building and building?

That's exactly what we do.

I love that. Maybe that's part of the healthcare crisis in America. We need to get to the root cause of issues.

Absolutely. I could go on for weeks about that.

From my perspective, if people kept their noses clear, they'd sleep better. If they were screened and treated properly—using Clear as a key component—we could improve health naturally and without side effects. Are there any adverse reactions to Clear?

None. If we had any, we’d have to report them to the FDA. In 20 years, we’ve never had a single reportable incident.

That’s fantastic.

‍

COVID-19 and Clear’s Research Contributions

So, with COVID-19, the world became very focused on the nasal passages. COVID is a respiratory infection. A February 2020 paper in the New England Journal of Medicine pointed out that at any point during the infection, 90% of the viral load resides in the nose.

That’s amazing. So the nose is essentially the frontline?

Exactly. And we were working with a pulmonologist from Miami on another product. When COVID hit, we submitted samples of our nasal spray to Utah State University’s virology lab. They found that it killed all of the virus—in vitro.

Wait, so it wasn’t the xylitol doing it?

Nope. It was the grapefruit seed extract (GSE) at 0.2%. That’s as effective as a 70% alcohol solution. We submitted everything to the FDA in June, trying to get an Investigational New Drug (IND) approval for human trials.

And what did they say?

They said, “You’re not a drug.” So we couldn’t make claims, but we had 20 years of safety data, so we took the drug messaging out and simply offered it as a safe, non-drug product.

That’s smart. And you were ahead of the curve.

Very much so. Other universities were investigating similar approaches, but we were already there with a safe product.

‍

Understanding the Power of Nasal Health

If 90% of the COVID viral load is in the nose, then it makes perfect sense to treat it there. But instead, we just send people home to self-isolate. Why aren’t we recommending something that can kill the virus where it resides?

Exactly. And while it’s not a cure, it can reduce viral load and make recovery easier. There’s a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pointing out that we should be addressing COVID in the nose.

One study I read from the University of Geneva compared saline and xylitol sprays. Xylitol maintained the protective mucosal barrier and saline didn’t.

Right. Saline may reduce symptoms for a day or so, but it also dries out the nose and inflames tissues. We advise using our irrigation bottle sparingly. You want to preserve that mucosal layer because it's a natural defense system.

You’ve also shared that using Clear’s nasal spray increases airway volume by 36% within minutes. That’s a big number.

Yes, Dr. Naclerio’s presentation at Georgetown University showed that using our spray improved nasal airway volume by 20–36% in just three minutes. That’s a game-changer for people struggling to breathe.

The fact that xylitol can disrupt bacterial adherence—preventing infection and inflammation—is powerful.

Exactly. Xylitol binds to bacterial receptors and prevents them from sticking to mucosal surfaces. It also draws moisture into the nose, keeping the mucus thin and functional. The thinner the mucus, the easier it is for cilia to clear it out. That’s how the mucociliary clearance cycle is optimized.

‍

Nasal Breathing, Nitric Oxide, and Overall Wellness

We live in a dry, desert climate. Our air conditioners are always running. That dries out the air and our sinuses. Clear is a great way to restore that protective barrier.

Totally. And here’s something really interesting—when you exhale through your nose, your body reabsorbs moisture. That’s part of the nose’s job. It’s also connected to nitric oxide production, which enhances oxygenation and is a vasodilator.

That’s a big deal. Nitric oxide helps reduce inflammation, supports blood flow, and even impacts things like sexual health and cognition.

Exactly. We’re currently measuring nitric oxide levels in studies using our spray. There’s growing evidence that better nasal breathing improves organ function across the board.

‍

On Complex Systems and Side Effects

You’ve mentioned how complex systems need holistic care. I love that idea. If you improve one thing, it positively impacts everything else.

Absolutely. We tend to treat symptoms in isolation, but our bodies are interconnected. Improve breathing, and everything improves: mood, energy, sleep, even digestive and reproductive systems.

And that includes immunity. Children I treat who start breathing better often grow better, perform better in school, and need fewer medications.

I can’t agree more. And the beauty of our products is they work with the body, not against it. They’re safe, effective, and empower people to take control of their health.

I heard your dad has written a couple of books on this topic—what are they called?

Yes. One is called BOIDS and the BEES, and the other is Allergy Solutions for COVID-19. They both explore how our environment, choices, and biology intersect.

‍

Health Outcomes and National Priorities

My goal as a clinician is to help patients breathe, sleep, and grow into their genetic potential. Especially with children, it’s about preventing future chronic disease.

Exactly. We spend 18% of our GDP on healthcare. That’s double what other countries spend, and we’re not even ranked in the top 50 for health outcomes.

We could save America a trillion dollars just by staying healthy.

Yes. The savings from reduced disease burden could transform our economy. That’s why our mission at Clear is to make proactive health affordable, accessible, and effective.

‍

Conclusion and Farewell

Special thanks to Nate Jones for being with us on the podcast today. If you found this helpful, please like and subscribe. We’ll include links to resources mentioned—including studies, articles, and Nate’s books—on our landing page.

Thanks for joining us. We hope you’ll come back for more. Until next time, breathe better, sleep better, and be well.

‍