Here’s a question for you: What are the two primary nutrients in life? You may think of proteins, carbohydrates, or vitamins, but actually, the answer is quite simple- oxygen and water. Without these essential substances, life could not exist as we know it. Therefore, it makes sense that oxygen and water can be incorporated into powerful healing therapies. Health Centered Dentistry has been working with the premier research scientists developing this therapy (Dr. Mollica and Dr. Harris – East Coast), learning about its uses, and watching as
new applications have developed. The advancements have been amazing and we believe our patients will be thrilled with the less-invasive nature of these highly effective ozone therapies.
In dentistry, we are constantly battling infections, whether in the form of tooth decay, periodontal disease, or bone abscesses. Both medical and dental literature have documented the systemic effects of oral infections throughout the body. Unfortunately, traditional approaches to treating infections aren’t always effective. Instead of killing the pathogens that cause infections, antibiotics tend to convert them from an acute stage to a chronic stage. Though a person may think that an infection has “healed” because the swelling, redness, or inflammation is gone, the infection may have instead shifted to a chronic, non-symptomatic state. This chronic state of infection is often seen with periodontal disease (jaw- bone loss), teeth that have had root canals, or extraction sites of previously pulled
teeth. These areas of dental infections can eventually lead to cavitations (osteonecrosis), which are pockets of dead, decaying bone. One of the main dangers that come from these areas of infection, is that the bacteria can use our life-giving blood circulation system to
travel to other areas of the body, proliferate and cause many disease states. Problems that these infections have been clinically linked to include: cancer, cardiovascular conditions, arthritis, neurological conditions, kidney conditions, breast cancer, etc…
What is Ozone?
Ozone is a chemical compound consisting of 3 atoms of oxygen. At our office, we use a medical/dental ozone generator, which converts O2 into O3, (oxygen into ozone.) The resulting substance has the chemical composition of 0.25 parts of ozone to 99.75 parts of oxygen. At this low concentration, ozone is an incredibly powerful oxidizer, and effectively kills bacteria, fungus, viruses, and parasites with virtually no toxic side effects.
Interestingly, oxygen/ozone therapy isn’t new. Ozone was first discovered in 1840, and its first medical applications occurred in 1870. Today, oxygen hyperbaric chambers are used everyday to treat cancer patients, and oxygen/ozone therapy is the standard of care in over 20 countries around the world. The medical communities in 14 states fully recognize oxygen/ozone therapy in the US, and in
2001, dental-application research began with the approval of an Institutional Review Board from Capital University of Integrative Medicine in Washington D.C. Since then, oxygen/ozone therapy continues to revolutionize the treatment of dental infections.
How does ozone treatment work?
The one thing that all pathogens (bad bacteria/fungus/viruses) have in common is their weak cell membranes. The ozone works by punching a hole in the membrane, thus resulting in the organism’s death. Then the immune system can (more easily) take over and
“clean house,” ridding the body of the dead pathogen’s remains. Oxygen/ozone therapy in dentistry involves 3 basic forms of application to the teeth and gums: 1) ozonated water, 2) ozonated olive oil, and 3) oxygen/ozone gas.
At Health Centered Dentistry, we use a combination of these forms to create a treatment plan especially designed for the patient, based on their individual needs. Oxygen/ozone therapy is amazing; ask us how it could help keep you on the road towards optimal health and well-being.
-by Madelyn Pearson DDS
