Effect of ozone on the oral microbiota and clinical severity of primary root caries.

Abstract

Using a paired Student t-test, a significant (P < 0.001) difference (mean +/- SE) in total micro-organisms was observed in the ozone-treated samples after either a 10 seconds (log10 4.35 +/- 0.49) or 20 seconds (log10 0.46 +/- 0.26) ozone application compared with the control samples (log10 7.00 +/- 0.24) and (log10 6.00 +/- 0.21) respectively. Using Pearson's correlation tests, there were significant correlations for the reduction in total micro-organisms after 10 seconds of ozone application with cavitation, size, distance from gingival margin and severity of PRCLs (P < 0.05). In conclusion, ozone application either for 10 or 20 seconds dramatically reduced most of the micro-organisms in PRCLs without any side effects recorded at recall intervals between 3 and 5.5 months. Out of the 65 PRCLs reviewed, 33 lesions had become hard, 27 lesions reversed to severity index 1 from severity index 2, and five lesions remained the same following ozone application for a period of either 10 or 20 seconds.