Cavity

Science World, Feb 7, 2005 by Jennifer Cutraro

Scared of your dentist's drill? Good news: A novel procedure can eliminate cavities--painlessly.

A device called HealOzone bathes teeth with ozone--a molecule (particle of two or more atoms, the smallest units of an element, joined together) containing three oxygen atoms. The ozone kills cavity-causing bacteria. Then, a special mouthwash helps slowly rebuild the tooth. Since ground level ozone pollutes the air, the device converts the ozone into safe molecules after the procedure.

Already used in Canada, Europe, and Australia, HealOzone should hit American dental offices in 2007. But keep brushing: Ozone may not be able to treat have severely damaged a tooth. "It's not a cavity cure-all," says Dr. Jerry Gordon, a dentist in Pennsylvania.

Did You Know?

* Your first set of teeth contains 20 chompers. Adult humans sport 32 teeth.

* The material that makes up the outermost layer of teeth, called enamel, is the hardest substance in the human body.

Resources

* Learn all about your teeth and what causes tooth decay at this BBC Web site: www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/teeth/teeth.shtm

* Discover fun facts about teeth, and play games to learn how to better care for them at: www.adha.org/kidstuff/

* Visit this Web site to learn more about ozone pollution and how your everyday activities can affect levels of the gas in the air: www.smogcity.com/