Hydrogen Water Reduced Harmful Mouth Bacteria in Lab Cell Studies
Effects of Hydrogen-rich Water on Cariogenic Bacteria
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Zhibin Liu, Eungyung Kim, Su-Hyung Hong, Kirim Kim, Eun-Kyong Kim, Myoung-Ok Kim
- Journal
- Indian Journal of Dental Research
- Year
- 2023
- PMID
- 38197349
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Dose
- One minute exposure to electrolysed hydrogen-rich water
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 1 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- South Korea
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich water with a neutral pH can kill tooth decay-causing bacteria and prevent them from forming harmful layers on teeth, making it a potential mouthwash.
Key Finding
Electrolysed hydrogen-rich water at neutral pH significantly reduced the growth of cavity-causing bacteria and their ability to form biofilms (sticky bacterial coatings) in laboratory tests.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich water made through electrolysis could kill cavity-causing bacteria in the laboratory. When they exposed two types of cavity-causing bacteria to this hydrogen-rich water for one minute, bacterial growth slowed down, fewer bacteria survived, and the bacteria produced less of the sticky material they use to form plaque-like coatings on teeth.
Practical Takeaway
This laboratory study suggests hydrogen-rich water may have potential as a mouthwash ingredient, but the research was conducted only in test tubes with isolated bacteria—not in human mouths or even animal studies. Much more research, including clinical trials in people, would be needed before drawing any conclusions about whether it would actually help prevent cavities or oral infections in real-world use.
Abstract (excerpt)
Abstract Context: Some kinds of electrolysed water have been reported to exhibit antioxidant and bactericidal activity. However, studies on the effect of electrolysed hydrogen-rich water (EHW) with a neutral pH on cariogenic bacteria are limited. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility…