Ozone Therapy Offers Exciting Benefits for Patients’ Oral Health

For most people, the word ozone doesn’t carry many pleasant associations. Typically when you hear the word mentioned in the media it’s in reference to global warming. While ozone offers protection against the sun’s harmful radiation, the naturally occurring gas also has a variety of important yet largely unknown applications.

Throughout the U.S. and the world, ozone is used to sterilize public drinking water. The gas is also used in the sterilization of fruits, vegetables and bottled soft drinks, as well as in commercial laundries, swimming pools, air purification systems and spa baths.

For decades the medical community has used ozone in the treatment of a variety of diseases and to promote faster healing. The use of ozone isn’t a recent trend either, as the majority of the research on different applications of the gas date back to the early 1900s.

After over 100 years of study and practice, the controlled applications of ozone have been found to be extremely safe, free of side effects and immensely beneficial to patient health. Our bodies even produce ozone to help fight off bacterial infection.

Considering the many uses for ozone, it was only a matter of time before the gas was used in dentistry.

Ozone Uses in Dentistry

In recent years, the use of ozone has found many applications in dentistry. The gas has proven effective at treating a variety of common oral health conditions, including:

• Periodontal disease. Ozonated water is used in the treatment of periodontal disease by being flushed below the gum line where it is absorbed into gum and supporting tissue.
• Root canals. During root canal treatments, ozone is used to kill bacteria, sterilize the canal system and to promote faster healing. In its gaseous form, ozone can reach places in the mouth that liquids cannot since gas can permeate the extraordinarily small tubules that cannot otherwise be accessed. This level of infiltration provides a truly sterile environment during root canal therapy that helps to reduce the risk of infection and speed the recovery process.
• Tooth decay. Ozone is used in the elimination of harmful oral bacteria. As a gas, ozone can permeate into areas below the gum line, into the grooves of teeth and kill bacteria on contact. If the area of decay isn’t located too deeply within the gum line or tooth, it’s possible that ozone therapy could prevent the need for tooth restoration. Since ozone helps to recalcify the structure of your teeth, areas treated by ozone become stronger than before.
• Tooth sensitivity. Ozone’s ability to strengthen compromised tooth structures provides the gas with the ability to effectively reduce or even eliminate tooth sensitivity.
• Safety. Ozone is completely safe to use in conjuncture with other medications, and patients don’t have to worry about potential allergies since no one can be allergic to oxygen.

Ozone Therapy at McGinty Dental

Littleton dentist Dr. Eileen McGinty is proud to announce that ozone therapy is now available to patients at McGinty Dental Group. Dr. McGinty and the rest of our friendly and professional staff are immensely proud to be able to offer our patients this type of advanced dental care treatment.

At McGinty Dental Group, the needs of our patients always come first, and you can expect that we will always stay on the lookout for exciting new treatment methods that meet our high standards for biological dentistry.

If you have any questions about what ozone therapy can do for your oral health, please feel free to ask any member of our Littleton dental office staff during your next appointment.