HEALTH: Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye - Using ozone to heal teeth

January 19, 2003

Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye

22-Aug-2002

Or least say goodbye to that dreaded drill. Dentists in the U.K. have

started using a new treatment which does away with the need for

injections, drilling and fillings. The treatment, called Healozone, uses

a blast of ozone gas to kill bacteria. This painless procedure allows

saliva to repair damaged teeth naturally.

During the procedure, a rubber cap is fitted on the tooth and ozone gas

is applied through the air-tight seal created by the cap. Within 10 and

40 seconds, the gas eliminates all of the acid-producing bacteria in the

tooth, which allows the mineral content of saliva to repair the tooth

over time.

The technique was developed by Professor Edward Lynch of Queens

University in Northern Ireland, and dentists in the U.K. have started to

offer the treatment to their patients. Dr. Peter Murray says, " There are

a lot of things that put people off going to the dentist -- the

injections, the sound of the drill, the feel of the drill or even the

smell generated when drilling a tooth. In time, I believe ozone will

completely replace the traditional tools of dentistry when it comes to

treating decay and in doing so will eliminate the 'fear factor' the

public associate with a visit to the dentist. "

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