When you hear the word ozone, what do you think about? The hole in the ozone layer? Smog? Or the lovely, sharp and fresh smell of a summer storm rolling in? All of the above are correct, but we like the last association best.
So what exactly is ozone? Ozone is a form of oxygen – with three oxygen molecules instead of two – O3. The name ozone, not surprisingly, comes from ozein, a Greek word that means “to smell!”
But ozone is not only the amazing smell that comes before a storm, a major component of smog, and the protector of our stratosphere. Ozone can also be produced and used in therapeutic ways, including as a natural antibiotic.
What makes Ozone so interesting as a natural antibiotic is that it kills bad bacteria and leaves healthy bacteria to continue doing its good work. Now that’s good news! We need good bacteria just as much as we need to get rid of the bad.
Ozone therapy has been used for hundreds of years and has recently regained popularity as bacteria become more and more antibiotic resistant. It is conservative, painless, minimally invasive, and can dramatically lessen treatment time.
We use ozone at All About Smiles in Delaware to:
Our dental ozone handpiece lets us target the ozone gas and use it only where it is needed. It is healthy precision at its best!
The oxygen we breathe – O2 – is very stable. Ozone is not. Because ozone, or activated oxygen has three molecules instead of two, the third molecule easily loses its grip and breaks off. That third molecule is negatively charged – the very thing that makes ozone one of the most powerful oxidizers in nature.
When this loose atom breaks free and comes into contact with bacteria and spores, it begins oxidation, a process many of us associate with things like rusting. We take all kinds of antioxidants to protect ourselves from this process. Trouble is, we need oxidation too!
According to Dr. Terry Simpson, a physician and research scientist, “When a bacteria is encountered by white blood cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) they use oxidation to destroy the microbe. When the body encounters a cell that isn’t behaving quite right – oxidation is used to get rid of it.”
It is one of the easiest to use, side-effect-free, all-natural ways to eliminate bad bacteria, clear away odors, reduce free radicals and improve your overall well-being.
Studies show that ozone therapy can:
To learn more about how this amazing gas can help you walk taller on the road to health, give our Wilmington dental office a call at 302-239-1641. Dr. Lewis Yu is here to help you get the most out of your smile – and your life!
It all adds up to better health, smile, body, and spirit!