Ozone and Oral Health: What the Research Shows (2026 Update)
Most gum problems start the same way: a film of bacteria builds up along the gumline, the gums become inflamed and bleed, and - if it goes on long enough - the tissue that holds the teeth in place starts to break down. Ozonated water has been tested in the mouth for exactly that reason: it kills bacteria on contact and then breaks back down into oxygen. This page sets out what the trials found, where the evidence is strong, and where it is not.
In a head-to-head trial, a daily ozonated water rinse cut decay-causing bacteria further than chlorhexidine, the standard dental rinse. Two 2025 reviews found smaller but real benefits when ozone is added to a professional deep clean. The trials are short and mostly small, and we set out the limits below.
Updated September 2026. This page replaces our 2023 article, which covered a single study, and now covers seven trials and reviews, plus a more sceptical 2026 review.
Why gum health matters beyond the mouth
Gingivitis - red, swollen gums that bleed when you brush - is reversible. Periodontitis, where the inflammation reaches the bone and ligament around the teeth, is not, and it is a leading cause of tooth loss in adults. The standard treatment is a professional deep clean below the gumline, but instruments cannot reach every pocket, which is why researchers keep looking for add-ons.
The interest does not stop at the teeth. A US study that followed more than 6,000 adults for up to 26 years found that older people with signs of gum disease, and antibodies to the main gum-disease bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis, were more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.1 The researchers are clear that this shows an association, not cause and effect - but it is one more reason to take bleeding gums seriously.
What the trials found
Seven ozone studies are summarised in our Scientific Literature library. They fall into three groups: ozonated water as a daily rinse, ozonated oil for home care, and ozone added to a professional clean.
As a daily rinse
RANDOMISED TRIAL - 46 ADULTS - 2017
Ozonated water against chlorhexidine
Adults rinsed daily for two weeks with either freshly made ozonated water or 0.2% chlorhexidine. Counts of Streptococcus mutans, the main bacterium behind tooth decay, fell in both groups but further with ozonated water. Every one of the 23 people rinsing with ozonated water had their count at least halved, against 7 of 23 on chlorhexidine.2
Small, single-centre, two weeks long. It measured bacteria, not cavities.
RANDOMISED TRIAL - 100 CHILDREN - 2019
Four rinses compared in children
Children aged 10 to 12 used herbal water, ozonated water, plain water or chlorhexidine for 15 days. Ozonated water gave the lowest soft plaque scores of the four at both 15 and 30 days. Chlorhexidine was best at suppressing decay bacteria.3
A mixed result, reported as such: ozone led on plaque, chlorhexidine on bacteria.
For home care of inflamed gums
RANDOMISED PILOT - 71 PATIENTS - 2023
Ozonated olive oil against plain olive oil
After a professional clean, people with gum inflammation used either ozonated or extra virgin olive oil at home for three weeks. Both helped, but the ozonated oil did more on every measure: bleeding sites fell from 41 to 13 per cent, against 38 to 22 per cent with the plain oil.4
Double-blind, which is a strength. A pilot, and only three weeks.
Added to a professional deep clean
RANDOMISED TRIAL - 50 PATIENTS - 2025
Ozonated water or saline, flushed into the gums
After the same deep clean, people with periodontitis had their gum pockets flushed with ozonated water or saline, without knowing which. Four weeks later pockets had shrunk by just over 1 mm with ozonated water against 0.6 mm with saline, and gum attachment improved more than twice as much.5
A single clinic treatment, not daily home use. Four-week follow-up.
SPLIT-MOUTH TRIAL - 10 PATIENTS - 2021
Ozone gel against chlorhexidine gel
Each patient had one side of the mouth treated with ozone gel and the other with chlorhexidine gel after a deep clean. Both sides improved, with no difference on most measures; chlorhexidine came out ahead on two at three months. The authors judged the ozone gel a valid alternative.6
Very small. Useful mainly as a sign that ozone held its own against the standard.
META-ANALYSIS - 13 TRIALS, 655 PATIENTS - 2025
Pooling 13 randomised trials of ozone added to a deep clean, a Chinese team found a small but significant extra reduction in pocket depth and gum inflammation. Bleeding and plaque did not differ significantly. No increase in side effects.7
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW - 11 TRIALS - 2025
Across gum treatment, root canals and implant healing, ozone was linked to better gum health, faster soft-tissue healing and less pain after treatment. The authors support ozone as an add-on to conventional dental care, not a replacement.8
Why ozone works in the mouth
Ozone is a strong oxidant. In water it damages the outer membrane of bacteria, and the bacteria behind decay and gum disease live in exactly the places a rinse or irrigator reaches: along the gumline and in the pockets beside the teeth. Once it has reacted, ozone reverts to oxygen, so it leaves no residue - unlike chlorhexidine, whose staining and taste changes limit its long-term use. Some researchers also describe a calming effect on gum inflammation, though that is less well established than the antibacterial action. For how ozone behaves in the body more broadly, see How Ozone Therapy Works.
Where the evidence is thin
A 2026 review in Evidence-Based Dentistry looked specifically at ozonated water for reducing plaque in healthy people. Pooling four trials, it found slightly better short-term plaque reduction than placebo or chlorhexidine, but the result was not statistically significant and the certainty of evidence was rated low. The authors saw promise for people who cannot tolerate chlorhexidine but concluded the evidence is not yet enough to recommend routine daily use, and called for longer, better-designed trials.9
That fits the wider picture. The strongest results come from ozone used alongside a professional clean, in people who already have gum disease. The home-rinse trials are small and run for two weeks to a month, and they mostly measured bacteria and plaque rather than cavities or teeth kept. The 2025 meta-analysis found no significant effect on bleeding or plaque, and the 2025 review notes one clear caution: ozone applied to a tooth before a filling may weaken how well the filling bonds, which is a matter for your dentist.7,8
Using ozonated water at home
The trials above used freshly made ozonated water, because ozone breaks back down to oxygen soon after it is made. The rinse trial made it on a tabletop generator at 2.4 parts per million, and the 2025 irrigation trial used water at around 2 parts per million. Our Floss n Gloss ozone oral irrigator makes ozonated water from tap water as you use it, at an average of 2.5 parts per million - the exact figure varies with the mineral content of your water - and delivers it along the gumline and between the teeth.
★★★★★
"I had a gum health issue between two molars that flossing and oil pulling wasn't resolving. It cleared up in a week with ozone water pick. Surprised and pleased. Thanks"
Nathan Scott, New Zealand - Floss n Gloss owner, verified buyer
One customer's experience is not a study, and we present it as what it is. The trials above are the evidence; this is what it can look like in practice.
If you have gum problems
Bleeding, receding or tender gums, loose teeth or persistent bad breath should be checked by your dentist or hygienist. Every trial on this page used ozone alongside normal care - brushing, flossing and professional cleaning - not instead of it, and that is how we recommend it.
References
- Beydoun MA, Beydoun HA, Hossain S, El-Hajj ZW, Weiss J, Zonderman AB. Clinical and bacterial markers of periodontitis and their association with incident all-cause and Alzheimer's disease dementia in a large national survey. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 2020. doi:10.3233/JAD-200064
- Anumula L, Kumar KVS, Krishna CMV, Lakshmi KS. Antibacterial activity of freshly prepared ozonated water and chlorhexidine on Mutans Streptococcus when used as an oral rinse - a randomised clinical study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 2017. Read our summary.
- Mon J, Asokan S, Priya PRG, Kumar TDY, Balasubramaniam MG. Effect of herbal water, ozonated water, water, and chlorhexidine mouthrinses on oral health status of children: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 2019. Read our summary.
- Feier R, Sireteanu Cucui RM, Ratiu RF, et al. Comparative study of ozonated olive oil and extra virgin olive oil effects on oral hygiene. Applied Sciences 2023;13(5):2831. Read our summary.
- Rohith GN, Patel N, Jha R, Vachhani R, Verlianey N, Sant A. Comparative evaluation of ozonized water versus normal saline irrigation with mechanical debridement in chronic periodontitis patients - a clinical study. Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research 2025;15(3):594-599. Read our summary.
- Colombo M, Gallo S, Garofoli A, Poggio C, Arciola CR, Scribante A. Ozone gel in chronic periodontal disease: a randomized clinical trial on the anti-inflammatory effects of ozone application. Biology 2021;10(7):625. Read our summary.
- Liu J, Huang Y, Huang J, Yang W, Tao R. Effects of ozone therapy as an adjuvant in the treatment of periodontitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Oral Health 2025;25:335. Read our summary.
- Rezaeianjam M, Khabazian A, Khabazian T, et al. Efficacy of ozone therapy in dentistry with approach of healing, pain management, and therapeutic outcomes: a systematic review of clinical trials. BMC Oral Health 2025. Read our summary.
- Mohandas R, Mohapatra S, Krishnan RP. Ozonated water as a preventive oral hygiene aid: a systematic review and meta-analysis of its role in reducing dental plaque. Evidence-Based Dentistry 2026;27(3). doi:10.1038/s41432-026-01245-9
Many of our customers use ozone therapy at home as a complementary part of their wellness routine, alongside the care of their health practitioner.