Going to the dentist could soon be a much more pleasant experience for those who hate injections or the noise of the dentist’s drill. Study leader Professor Edward Lynch of Belfast University in the UK and his colleagues have developed a technique using ozone gas that kills off bacteria in dental caries and stops decay in its tracks. To carry out the procedure the dentist fits an airtight seal around the affected tooth and then blasts it with ozone. The gas turns ‘soft decay’ into harmless ‘hard decay’ that doesn’t spread, and tests show that just 10-seconds of ozone is enough to kill 99% of the bacteria present in the tooth. Best of all however, the treatment is painless and injection-free. Dr Peter Murray, who is taking part in trials of the experimental treatment, said: “This system is a real Godsend for those people who have always had a fear of visiting the dentist. If we can identify the decay in time, there will be no need for them to experience the drill in their lifetime.”
Reported by www.ananova.com on the 6th August 2002
