What Is Ozone?
Ozone can be thought of as an activated form of oxygen. Most oxygen is in stable molecules with two oxygen atoms, but ozone is a molecule with three oxygen atoms, which makes it unstable. As an unstable molecule, ozone wants to react with other molecules around it, especially organic molecules. This means that it is very good at attacking oral bacteria and killing it. Which makes it a great sterilization treatment in many environments.
Ozone is also a great sterilizer because as a gas it can penetrate into areas where we can’t clearly see, let alone shine a laser. And ozone has other valuable properties for certain applications.
Ozone Can Reverse Minor Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is caused by oral bacteria which excrete acid on teeth, removing vital minerals from the enamel or dentin. The minerals that make tooth enamel strong against pressure make it weak against acid. But ozone is a powerful treatment for reversing the process of decay.
Of course, when we blow ozone on an area impacted by decay, it kills the oral bacteria there, stopping current decay.
But as ozone decays, it doesn’t just turn into oxygen (which is deadly to many of the most harmful bacteria, but harmless to you), it bonds with hydrogen atoms in the environment. Loose hydrogen is what makes a solution acidic, so as ozone is bonding with these hydrogens, it is neutralizing the acid and creating a basic environment.
In basic solution, the process of tooth decay reverses. The tooth takes minerals from saliva or from a mineral-rich formula we apply to the tooth, repairing the early stages of tooth decay. This stops or postpones the need for a dental filling.
Ozone Helps Periodontal Healing
Gum disease isn’t just the leading cause of tooth loss among adults, it’s a chronic infection that can spread throughout the body, increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.
In gum treatment, ozone kills oral bacteria and neutralizes acid. It’s easy to introduce ozone into the periodontal pocket without having to expose the area with surgery. And because it’s so reactive, its effects are limited to the treatment area–you aren’t, for example, ingesting an antibiotic that can impact your gut flora.
Ozone Is Most Effective When You Act Now
In general, all dental conditions are progressive. They are more likely to worsen than they are to heal without intervention. And ozone therapy is a treatment that is best suited to the early stages of decay. So if you want to reverse decay, heal gum disease, or save an infected tooth, it’s important to act today.
To learn whether ozone therapy will be an effective treatment for your condition, please call (408) 354-5600 today for an appointment with San Jose holistic dentist Dr. Nancy Nehawandian at Top Down Dental.
