tooth decay experiment results

Egg and Soda Science Fair Experiment: Tooth Decay Project

Krystal DeVille

July 10, 2022

Healthy teeth are essential for your overall health!

They make it a breeze for our mouths to form words and flash million-dollar smiles. This importance in our lives is why we must pay attention to a potentially adverse problem: tooth decay .

Are you having a hard time getting your child to brush their teeth? If so, it might be time to bring out the big guns by introducing the egg and soda science fair experiment to explore the concept of dental health.

Theoretically, a hard-boiled eggshell works similarly to the enamel on your child’s tooth. It protects the dentin (the soft inside of a tooth) from damage.

Unfortunately, some of our dietary habits make it difficult for the enamel to protect our teeth from damage. This science experiment will demonstrate the repercussions of our choices on our bodies, and why tooth health matters. Read on!

Table of Contents

Egg and Soda Science Fair Experiment

What You Need

The good news is that the egg and soda science fair experiment doesn’t require a myriad of pricey supplies. They’re wallet-friendly and there’s the likelihood that you have most of them in your home. If not, they’re readily available online and can be delivered to your doorstep.

• Three clear plastic cups
• Toothpaste and a toothbrush
• Three white-shelled hard-boiled eggs

Before the Egg and Soda Science Fair Experiment

Start by talking to your child about the importance of dental hygiene practices that include brushing their teeth twice a day.

Ensure you explain how certain activities, drinks, and food, can damage and stain teeth. You’ll also want to delve into how the consumption of acidic drinks can erode tooth enamel .

Ask your child to name a few types of drinks that are detrimental to their teeth. They may list juice, soda, or coffee because of the acid and sugar.

Furthermore, you can ask your child to think of drinks that can boost the health of their teeth. They might answer water and milk.

You can also find out if they believe brushing after the consumption of some of the harmful drinks can lower the risk of damage to their teeth.

Explain the Egg and Soda Science Fair Experiment

To spark their curiosity and pique their interest, inform your child that you have a way of discovering the repercussions of leaving those harmful drinks on their teeth overnight.

With a boiled egg in hand, demonstrate how it resembles their teeth (a thin and sturdy outer shell and a soft inside). Take the time to explain the consequences of leaving the egg soaked in soda overnight, compared to water.

Additionally, consider various types of soda such as colas that have varying effects compared to their clear lemon-lime counterparts.

Another fun experiment I did with my son was the Cloud in a Bottle project. You’ll make clouds inside your house in a few different ways.

Perform the Egg and Soda Science Fair Experiment

It’s a straightforward experiment that can be performed by following the steps below.

• Boil the eggs, ensuring you have a few extra ones if some of them crack during boiling. A cracked shell on your hard-boiled egg will alter the outcome of the experiment.
• Help your child fill each of the plastic cups whereby one has water, another has diet soda, and the third contains regular soda.
• Once the eggs have boiled have your child put one in each plastic cup then leave them overnight.
• Check on the eggs the following day. You may need to pour out the liquid from each cup to examine how each egg has been affected. You’ll notice the egg in the cola has been stained.
• Discuss the changes you notice in each egg. Ask your child what they believe occurred and the solution to get the eggs back to their original state.
• Give your child some toothpaste and a toothbrush and have them attempt to brush the stains off the eggshell.

As a variation, you can boil a few additional eggs and add cups with coffee, clear soda, vinegar, and orange juice for comparison.

Understanding the Results of the Egg and Soda Science Fair Experiment

Each liquid provides essential information on how certain liquids negatively impact our teeth. The egg in water will have no changes because the acidity (pH) of water is close to your body’s resting PH. Water won’t break down your teeth, making it one of the healthiest liquids to consume.

Although the soda pop will result in softening of the outer shell of the egg, certainly not as much as vinegar. Most importantly, the soda pop will result in a discoloration of the white egg, particularly if the soda is dark. Its acid levels can result in the weakening or demineralization of the tooth enamel.

Lastly, the acidic level of vinegar is detrimental to your teeth during an acid attack. Every time you consume starch or sugar, the bacteria in your mouth utilize it to form the acid that is represented in a tooth decay experiment with vinegar.

The acidic vinegar breaks down the minerals in the eggshell just like acid does to the outer shell of your tooth. After a few days, there’s barely any shell left.

Preventing Tooth Decay

Aside from brushing your teeth every day, are there other ways to curb tooth decay? Although dentists recommend fluoride, how effective is it? You can find out by filling two clear jars with vinegar.

Then, coat one eggshell layer one eggshell entirely with gel fluoride toothpaste and put it in one jar, and put an uncoated eggshell in the second jar.

Keep an eye out for signs of decay on the uncoated eggshell as you note the condition of the coated eggshell. You shouldn’t notice decay on the coated eggshell.

The Takeaway

You and your child can learn two main things from this experiment. Firstly, the acid contained in soda and vinegar has the potential to severely erode tooth enamel.

Secondly, it takes more than just a few quick swipes with a toothbrush to get teeth spick-and-span. Therefore, incorporating healthy food choices in addition to brushing teeth every day with fluoride toothpaste is the key to preventing teeth erosion and decay.

Continue with the fun science experiments with some chemistry. Please take a look at our article full of fun and easy baking soda experiments for kids .

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Tooth Decay: An ‘Eggciting’ Science Experiment for Kids

• March 20, 2018
• Patient Education

Tooth Egg Experiment

If you’re looking for a fun way to teach your children about tooth decay and proper oral health, it’s time to do the Tooth Egg Experiment.  The classic experiment is one that many of us can remember doing in our youth.  It shows how an acid attack can destroy the enamel, or the outer surface of our teeth.  The materials required are commonly found in most households; so most parents won’t have to sweat a trip to the store.

Ready for a Dental Checkup With a Pediatric Dentist? Call Our Muscatine Office (563) 607-5979

Materials for the Tooth Egg Experiment

• White Eggs (one for each liquid tested, we recommend at least three)
• Diet Soda Pop

• Make hard boil eggs.  Place the eggs in a pot of water and ensure there is enough water to cover the eggs as the water boils off.  Bring the water to boil over high heat, once boiling cover the eggs, and remove them for heat and let them sit for eight to ten minutes.  Drain the water, and allow the eggs to cool.
• Place each egg in a clear cup.
• Add each selected liquid to the cups individually and ensure the liquid covers the eggs
• Let the eggs sit for 2-3 days
• Remove the eggs and inspect them for changes!  Your kids will be amazed.

Discuss The Results

Understanding the results of the Tooth Egg Experiment is important.  Each liquid can provide important information on how certain liquids affect our teeth.  The egg in water will have no changes, this is because the acidity (pH) of water is very close to the resting pH of our body.  Water will not breakdown our teeth, and is one of the healthiest liquids we can drink.

The soda pop will cause some softening of the outer shell of the egg, but not as much as the vinegar.  Most notably the soda pop will cause a discoloration of the white egg; especially if the soda pop is dark.  The acid content of soda pop can lead to the demineralization, or weakening, of our tooth enamel.

Lastly, the acidic content of vinegar shows the damage that is done to our teeth during an acid attack. Each time we consume a sugar or starch, bacteria in our mouth will utilize it to create acid.  This acid is represented in the Tooth Egg Experiment by vinegar.  The acidic vinegar breaks down the minerals in the egg’s shell just as the acid does to the outer shell of our tooth.  After a few days there is almost no shell remaining.

As each of these experiment variations showcases the potential for tooth decay, discuss the results with your children and talk about healthy food choices and the importance of a balanced diet.

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Dr. Jarod has received advanced training in behavior management, sedation, hospital dentistry, trauma, special health care needs, interceptive orthodontics, space maintenance, oral hygiene, and dietary counseling. His energetic personality allows him to relate to kids on an individual level. He understands the importance of children having a positive dental experience and strives to provide the best care tailored to each child’s needs. Dr. Jarod enjoys educating children and their families on the importance of oral health so they can establish good habits for a lifetime of smiles. His goal is to develop relationships with each of his patients to establish a dental home that is welcoming from infancy through adolescence.

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Egg in Vinegar: A Dental Health Activity

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The egg in vinegar experiment can be used as followup or in conjunction with the Egg in Soda Experiment as a way to show your child how acid interacts with calcium to cause tooth decay . Of course, putting an egg in vinegar isn't exactly the same as not brushing your teeth, but the chemical reaction caused by the two substances interacting is very similar to what happens between the acid in your child's mouth and their teeth.

• hard boiled eggs
• a clear plastic cup

Preparation Lesson

Let your child examine a hard boiled egg, even letting them smash and remove the shell if they wants. Ask them to run her tongue over their teeth and/or look at them in the mirror.

If your child doesn't already know that the hard outside of their teeth is called enamel, tell them about enamel and how it protects their teeth. Then ask:

• What does the shell do for the egg? (protects the soft inside, etc.)
• Does that remind you at all of your teeth?
• Do you remember what the soft inside of your teeth is called? (dentin)?
• Why do you think your teeth are covered in enamel?
• What would happen if the enamel was damaged or had holes in it?

Forming Hypotheses

Tell your child you're going to leave the egg in a cup of vinegar for a few days and observe what happens to it. Help them come up with a hypothesis about what they expect to see during the experiment.

Their hypothesis may be something along the lines of "the vinegar will eat the eggshell," but if they don't propose a hypothesis that fits the end result, that's OK. That's the whole point of the scientific method—to see if what you think will happen, happens and why or why not.

Perform the Experiment

• Place the hard-boiled egg in a clear cup or jar and fill it with white vinegar.
• Cover the top of the container. Explain to your child that covering the cup is sort of like leaving her mouth closed without brushing their teeth.
• Observe the egg on day one. The egg should be covered in bubbles.
• Continue to observe the egg for another day or two.
• Remove the cover from the container and drain the vinegar. Allow your child to touch the egg. The shell should be soft and pitted, if not completely dissolved.

What Happened

The bubbles you saw during the experiment are carbon dioxide, a gas that is released during the chemical reaction between the acetic acid (vinegar) and calcium carbonate of the eggshell. The acid breaks down the calcium and essentially eats away at the eggshell.

Connection to Dental Health

Your child may wonder how an egg in vinegar has anything to do with their teeth. Though it doesn't happen as quickly as the reaction between the egg and vinegar, there's a similar reaction that happens in your child's mouth.

The bacteria that live in her mouth stick to the hard surfaces of their teeth. Some of these bacteria create acids when they are combined with sugar in foods and beverages they consume. These acids can break down the enamel of their teeth if they don't brush often and be careful about how the number of sweets they eat.

Note: This experiment can be very upsetting to some children. Be certain to reassure your child that their teeth won't be "eaten" by acid if they forget to brush once in a while.

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How Liquids Affect Your Teeth : Egg Shells in Acid

This is a classic investigation into the effect of different liquids on your teeth. If you can’t get easy to access to some teeth (ask your local tooth-fairy) – then an eggshell can provide a simple stand-in. Clean (cooked & boiled) chicken bones can also work well.

You will need

• Egg shells (boiled or sterilised) to model our teeth
• Different liquids to test – for example water, vinegar, cola, orange juice, milk
• Plastic cups or beakers
• Sticky labels or marker pens
• (optional, replace the eggs with cooked chicken bones which have been boiled and scrubbed)

How to do it

• Prior to the session, prepare the egg shells. Dispose of the white and yolk and boil the shells in water for at least 5 minutes.
• 1/3 fill each of the cups with the different liquids and label them.
• Place an egg shell into each of the cups and press it under the surface so it fills and sinks.
• Leave it for 24 hours then carefully pour away the liquids and add fresh liquid to each cup.
• Leave for a week, observing the eggshells every day. Freshen up the liquid if necessary.

What’s going on?

The drinks that have the biggest affect on the shells contain acids – juice, vinegar and cola are all very acidic. Egg shells (and teeth) contain calcium carbonate. This reacts with the acid to form carbon dioxide and a soluble form of calcium. This means that the hard shell of the egg (and teeth) dissolves, leaving only softer parts.

This video I filmed for Twig Education shows you what to do:

You can supersize this experiment by creating a bouncy egg by soaking a raw egg in vinegar for at least three days.

• Take a raw egg and carefully place it into a glass or jar
• Fill the glass with white vinegar until the egg is completely submerged
• Leave the egg in the glass for 2 or 3 days. Check the egg each day. When the egg has started to become translucent you will know it is ready.
• Remove the egg from the glass and rinse it in tap water. Whilst rinsing gently rub the outside of the egg and the white film will come off leaving you will a translucent egg.
• Examine the egg. You’ll notice that is feels rubbery (like a bouncy ball). Then lift the egg 10cm or so in the air, let go and watch it bounce.

What’s happening?

As for the egg shell experiment the vinegar begins to dissolve the shell. Eventually, the shell will completely dissolve leaving just the thin membrane of the egg. The result is an egg that looks and feels like a bouncy ball.

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Teaching Kids about Tooth Decay

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My middle daughter is in 4th grade, and this year they decided to host a science fair.  Everyone in 4th and 5th grade were required to participate.  We decided to do an experiment on tooth decay, but we used eggs.  Eggshells are very similar to tooth enamel in that they both are made from calcium.  

This is a fun STEM experiment that will really show your kids what can happen to their teeth when they don’t brush.

Table of Contents

The Hypothesis

My daughter thought that the drinks with the most sugar would cause the most tooth decay.  

Tooth Decay Experiment

I have seen this science experiment using vinegar, but we chose to concentrate on actual drinks people like to drink.  Nobody really drinks vinegar.  

My daughter chose 10 different drinks, and then we added regular water and sugar water as controls.  Here are the drinks she chose: 

• chocolate milk
• iced sweet tea
• Gatorade 
• black coffee

We used 12 mason jars and added 1 cup of each liquid for each jar.  Then, she carefully put white eggs into the drinks.  We let them sit for 7 days on the counter, and then on day 8, we opened them.  

Over the course of the week, we inspected the jars and took notes on what was happening.  

The Findings

We opened each jar, poured out the content gently, and inspected each egg on the outside.  Then, we cracked each egg and inspected the insides.  Here’s what we found: 

Water – Normal Intact Shell, No Change

Sugar Water – Normal Intact Shell, No Change

Coffee – Outside Dark Brown Staining, Intact Shell, Dark Spots inside Shell

Red Bull – Dissolved Soft Shell, Large Burst of Egg, Hard Yolk

Blue Gatorade – Dissolving Hard Shell, Outside Medium Blue Staining, No Cracks

Coke Zero – Medium Outside Staining, Hard Shell, Small Burst of Egg

Coke – Medium Staining with Dark Speckles, No cracks

Whole Milk – Whitened Shell, Normal Intact Shell

1% Chocolate Milk – Very Light Staining, Normal Intact Shell

Lemonade – Dissolving and Bumpy Shell, Cracked

Sweet Tea – Outside Medium Dark Staining, Intact Shell with some rubbing off, but still hard, speckled dark brown spots inside

Unsweet Tea — Outside Medium Dark Staining, Cracked Shell with very dark staining inside at the cracks.

The Conclusion

Our results showed that drinks with acid had eggshells that were dissolving or cracked more than any of the other drinks.  Unfortunately, companies do not have to share the amount of citric acid in a drink, so that could not be measured.

Red Bull, Lemonade, Coke Zero, and Gatorade all contained acid, and all had dissolving eggshells.  Lemonade with 40 grams of sugar had the highest sugar content and had damage and a dissolving shell, but Coke with 39 grams of sugar did not have a cracked or dissolved shell.  

Interestingly, Red Bull and Gatorade begin to bubble and dissolve the eggshell as soon as the egg was put into each of them. 

The sugar water, which had sugar in it, did not show any damage to the eggshell.  This result combined with the results from the more acidic drinks made us think that acid has a big part in tooth decay.

The darker drinks like coffee, tea, and Coke all really stained the eggshells, but this staining did not correlate with dissolving eggshell. 

One thing I found interesting is that whole milk made the eggshell whiter, and it did seem a little stronger when I cracked it.

How did she do at the science fair? 

She got 2nd place for the entire 4th grade!

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Dental Decay

Can the acid in drinks really weaken your teeth?

• Challenging

Tooth enamel is tough but can be eroded by acids in your mouth.

Test the acid levels in your favorite drinks with pH test strips, then soak shark teeth or eggshells in each drink to see if the acid weakens tooth enamel. Try it!

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8uAf9Mmr9LI

You Will Need

One cup of water

Other types of drinks (e.g., orange juice, milk, soda, sports drinks, etc. . . You will need at least 1 cup of each drink you are testing.)

pH test strips ( Amazon )

Clear cups or glasses (You will need one glass for each drink you would like to test.)

A sharp tool (like the tip of a pair of tweezers)

Animal teeth (e.g., shark teeth fragments can be purchased on Amazon ) OR hollowed out white eggshells. You will need one tooth or eggshell for each drink you would like to test. (If you are unsure how to hollow out an eggshell, there are many videos online that can show you how! Just be sure to proceed with caution and have a responsible adult help you!)

Materials & Directions PDF

• Example: Do acidic drinks weaken the surface of teeth more quickly than less acidic drinks?
• Measure out 1 cup of each type of drink and pour each into its own cup. Make sure to include one cup with water (This will be your “control” that you will compare the other liquids to.)
• Dip one pH test strip into each liquid and lay on a flat, dry surface. Use the key provided with your pH strip package to interpret the pH result for each liquid and record it.
• Put one animal tooth or eggshell into each cup. Let them sit at room temperature for five days. (If using eggshells, check your eggshells periodically to observe any effects each liquid is having on the eggshells and record.)
• After five days, take out the tooth or eggshell from each cup and make observations about its color and texture. Compare each experimental eggshell to the “control” eggshell that was just soaked in water.
• If using teeth, carefully using a sharp tool, try to scratch the enamel off of each tooth. What do you observe?
• Record your observations and any conclusions you make about how the acidity of drinks changes how those drinks affect teeth.

Discovery Questions

Beginning the experiment, during the experiment, after the experiment, how it works.

Constant exposure to acidic drinks strips the enamel (the hard, protective layer of a tooth.) When tooth enamel is exposed to acidic beverages, it softens and loses some of its mineral content.

Saliva will help neutralize the acid, restore the mouth's natural pH balance, and slowly harden the tooth enamel again. However, because the tooth's recovery process is slow, if the acid exposure happens frequently, the tooth enamel does not have the chance to repair. This can cause tooth sensitivity and lead to the need for dental treatment to protect the tooth and the dentin underneath.

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Kids' Science Fair Projects on Tooth Decay

Science Project for the Effects That Beverages Have on Teeth

Almost everyone will experience at least one cavity during their lifetime. They are painful, unsightly, destroy teeth and jaw bone and can even make you sick if left untreated. Tooth decay makes an interesting science fair topic that most individuals can relate to. Decay is caused by acid produced by bacteria in your mouth when they eat sugars from your food. Acids are corrosive and they demineralize (dissolve) the teeth, causing pits (cavities) of what dentists call dental carries (decay). You can conduct some experiments on tooth decay and add the results to your science fair display. Try to obtain real teeth for your experiment from a dentist, dental teaching hospital or your classmates with baby teeth that have fallen out; otherwise, egg shells make a suitable substitute.

The Effects of Sugars on Teeth

Weigh each tooth or egg shell on an analytical balance. Record your data. Gather several sugary liquids, like apple juice, sugar-sweetened cola and a sports drink, as well as a control of water. Put each liquid into its own labeled baby food jar, test its pH and add one tooth or egg shell to each jar. Wait three to four weeks. Remove the teeth one at a time from the different liquids to examine and weigh. Calculate the difference between the starting and current weight to determine which liquid caused the most damage.

The Effects of Acidic Drinks on Teeth

With new teeth or egg shells, perform the same experiment as in Step 1, but use acidic liquids. Avoid liquids that contain sugar, so your results are purely based on the acid content, not sugar. Use liquids like vinegar, diet cola, diet lemon-lime and water. As with the first experiment, prepare the jars of liquid by weighing each jar and testing the liquid's pH. Then, weigh each tooth or egg shell and add a tooth to each jar. Wait three to four weeks. Remove each tooth, one at a time, to examine and weigh it. Calculate the difference in the starting and current weights to determine which acidic liquid was the most damaging to teeth.

The Effects of Carbonation on Teeth

Perform the experiment again, this time using carbonated sugar-free liquids, such as seltzer water, diet cola or lemon-lime and a control of water. Don't forget to put each liquid into its own labeled baby food jar and test the pH, and then weigh the teeth and egg shells, and add a tooth to each jar. Wait three to four weeks. Compare and record the appearance of each tooth with the one in water. Weigh each tooth and calculate the difference in the starting and current weight to determine the effects of carbonation on tooth decay.

Setting Up the Display

Find pictures of tooth decay to display. Organize the data from any experiments you conducted, and display the teeth and liquids that were used. Draw illustrations of the decay process and be prepared to explain the chemical reactions taking place. Inform your visitors of ways to reduce tooth decay. Contact a local dentist to see if she would be willing to donate toothbrushes, paste and floss to handout to individuals visiting your science fair project display.

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About the Author

Annette Strauch has been a writer for more than 30 years. She has been a radio news journalist and announcer, movie reviewer for Family Movie Reviews Online, chiropractic assistant and medical writer. Strauch holds a Master of Arts in speech/broadcast journalism from Bob Jones University, where she also served on the faculty of the radio/TV department.

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Find Your Next Great Science Fair Project! GO

EggSperiment Activity

Presented in conjunction with:

Parents and teachers can use this experiment to show children how fluoride helps protect teeth from tooth decay. Use the "Printable version" link at the bottom of this page to print copies of this experiment. Adult supervision is recommended for this activity.

Egg shells and teeth have something in common; both can be weakened by acid. When you put an egg in vinegar (a weak acid similar to what causes cavities), it attacks the shell, making it soft and weak. When teeth are exposed to acids in your mouth, your teeth become vulnerable to cavities.

Note to teachers: You may want to create a checklist of the EggSperiment steps on your blackboard or on a separate sheet of paper as a way to involve your whole class in this activity.

This experiment shows how you can help lock in the calcium in an eggshell - and your teeth - by protecting them with a fluoride toothpaste.

Time Needed

Five to six days. If you're doing this experiment at school, start on a Thursday or Friday afternoon.

• Crest for Kids Cavity Protection Sparkle Gel toothpaste
• Glass measuring cup (500 ml / two cups)
• Three or four eggs without cracks - fresh or hard boiled*
• Table vinegar
• Paper towel
• Plastic wrap
• Marker or pen
• Clear nail polish

* You only need one egg for the experiment but you may wish to use three or four eggs at one time in case one egg gets dropped.

Preparation

• Let egg warm to room temperature (three hours).
• Empty entire tube of toothpaste into measuring cup.
• Pat down toothpaste with teaspoon to make level and remove any air bubbles.
• Wash your hands.
• Wash the egg with warm tap water and dry it with the paper towel.
• With a marker or pen, mark one side of the egg with a small "X" to show the side that will not be covered (protected) by the toothpaste. Cover the mark with clear nail polish to protect it from the vinegar.
• Place the egg horizontally into the measuring cup, marked side up, so the toothpaste covers half the egg. Make sure the egg doesn't touch the bottom of the cup.
• Cover the cup tightly with plastic wrap and put it in a safe place. Leave it at room temperature for four full days.

Acid Attack

• After the four days, carefully remove the egg with a teaspoon and rinse off all the toothpaste with warm tap water.
• Place the egg on a clean dry surface and let it dry overnight. Wash the measuring cup.
• The next day, pour enough vinegar into the measuring cup to cover the egg.
• Carefully place the egg in the vinegar with the teaspoon.
• Rest the teaspoon on the egg so that the egg remains under the vinegar.
• Gas bubbles will quickly begin to form around, and rise from, the unprotected side of the egg. The shell is being attacked by acid. (eventually bubbles will appear on the whole egg.)
• Leave the egg in vinegar until the unprotected side of shell softens (side with the "X"). This will take from seven to 13 hours. If in seven hours you won't be around to check, remove the egg from the vinegar before you leave, wash it with warm water and leave it on counter overnight. Record how many hours the egg was in the vinegar. When you return, put the egg back in the vinegar.
• After the egg has been in the vinegar for a total of seven hours, remove it and check if the unprotected side has softened by tapping very lightly with your finger. If the unprotected side is still hard, put it back in the vinegar.
• Check every hour or two until the shell has softened. If it has softened, continue to the next step.
• Remove the egg and gently wash it with warm tap water. (Be careful, it may be really soft.)
• Holding the egg in one hand, tap the unprotected side (side with the "X") with your finger or a pen. The shell should be soft and weak. Tap the protected side. The shell should be hard and strong.

Experiment Conclusions

The fluoride in the toothpaste helped to make the eggshell strong, protecting it from the acid in vinegar. Fluoride is a mineral found in nature. It makes the hard, outer layer of teeth (called enamel) stronger.

The unprotected side of the egg (marked with the "X") wasn't protected so the acid in the vinegar was able to eat away at the eggshell. Cavities form on our teeth in roughly the same way. That's why it's important to brush and floss teeth regularly to protect our teeth and gums from cavities.

A cavity is a very small hole that forms on the surface of a tooth. Cavities are caused when sugars in the food we eat and bacteria in our mouths mix together, producing a mild acid that eats away at the enamel on our teeth.

When the outer layer of our teeth is strong, we're less likely to get cavities.

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• Why We’re Unique

How a Tooth Decays

Introduction: (initial observation).

Many people in the world, especially children, suffer from tooth decay. This can be extremely painful, as most of us have experienced. This pain, and all the other complications that it may lead to, may be avoidable. For this reason tooth decay can be the subject for a good science project. During this project we will try to find information about all other researches that has been done in this area and also do our own experiments. What we learn may help in saving our own teeth and can also be a help to others that may benefit from our research.

Dear This project guide contains information that you need in order to start your project. If you have any questions or need more support about this project, click on the “ Ask Question ” button on the top of this page to send me a message.

If you are new in doing science project, click on “ How to Start ” in the main page. There you will find helpful links that describe different types of science projects, scientific method, variables, hypothesis, graph, abstract and all other general basics that you need to know.

Project advisor

Information Gathering:

Find out about tooth decay. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about the factors that may cause tooth decay. Keep track of where you got your information from. Following are samples of information that you may find.

In order to understand how tooth decay happens, we need to know about the structure or anatomy of the tooth.

Each tooth consists of 2 parts: the crown and the roots. Only the crown is visible in the mouth. The roots are in the bone, under the gums.

The crown of the tooth has an outer shell made of a very hard substance called enamel. The inside of the tooth is made of a less hard substance called dentin. It is this layer which can be sensitive when exposed to the mouth atmosphere. The center of the tooth is hollow and contains the nerve.

What is tooth decay?

Our mouth is full of bacteria. In fact, bacteria are everywhere. The food we eat combines with saliva and bacteria to form a sticky coating on the teeth. This sticky coating is called plaque and it plays an important role in tooth decay. When sugar is available to the bacteria in plaque, they act on it and create acids. These acids erode tooth enamel. After repeated acid attacks the enamel breaks down and a cavity is formed.

Decay occurs most often on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. This is because these surfaces have deep pits and fissures, where even the toothbrush bristles cannot reach.

Treatment of Tooth Decay

Once decay has started and a cavity has formed, it becomes necessary to treat it to prevent the process from extending further.

When decay is limited to enamel: Treatment at this initial stage is preventive in nature because it will stop the decay process from extending to deeper areas of the tooth. All that is necessary is a simple filling. It is usually painless at this stage. Your dentist will clean out the decayed part of enamel and fill the resulting cavity with either silver amalgam, or preferably, with the newer tooth colored composite material.

When decay has extended to dentin: This may be painful after eating or with cold water. Food is likely to be lodged in the cavity. Treatment at this stage consists of a more extensive filling. It may be necessary to numb the area during treatment. One of the above materials may be used.

When decay has reached the nerve, severe pain is the usual complaint. The invading bacteria cause the nerve of the tooth to become inflamed. Root canal treatment will be necessary at this stage if the tooth has to be saved.

Infection reaches bone: The bacteria destroy the nerve and spread to the bone of the jaw. The bone is thus inflamed and infected. The infection may erode through the side of the bone into the mouth, face or neck to cause a swelling.

This picture shows an advanced case of tooth decay in a child.

Tooth decay experiments:

Human teeth have a strong enamel that protect them from fast decay. It often takes a few years for each tooth to form noticeable cavities. Students often don’t have a long time for their experiments, that is why they often use seashell or chicken bone instead of real tooth. Seashells often provide the fastest results because they do not contain enamels and proteins.

Use acids instead of sugars:

In our mouth, starch convert to sugar and sugars change to acids. Although the acids are very weak, the enzymes produced by bacteria make them more effective. Conversion of starch to sugar, and sugar to acid happens in the mouth due to the presence of enzymes, microbes, moisture and warm temperature. The same conversion does not happen in a cup or plastic container. That is why you may directly use vinegar, lemon juice or other safe acids instead of sugar or in addition to sugar.

Question/ Purpose:

What do you want to find out? Write a statement that describes what you want to do. Use your observations and questions to write the statement.

The purpose of this project is to understand the factors that may cause tooth decay. We hope that our studies will help us to understand what is tooth decay? Why it happens and how can we prevent it.

Our specific questions for this study are:

1. How do different types of acid affect tooth decay? 2. How does the exposure time to acids affect the rate of tooth decay?

Identify Variables:

When you think you know what variables may be involved, think about ways to change one at a time. If you change more than one at a time, you will not know what variable is causing your observation. Sometimes variables are linked and work together to cause something. At first, try to choose variables that you think act independently of each other.

When a tooth is exposed to a corrosive substance such as an acid, the amount of erosion may vary based on the type of corrosive material and the time length of such exposure.

If you choose to find out how do different types of acids affect the tooth erosion, the following is how you may define your variables:

Independent variable (also known as manipulated variable ) is the type of acid.

Dependent variable ( also known as responding variable) is the rate of erosion.

Controlled variable is the temperature.

Constants are the amounts of acids, exposure time, methods and procedures.

If you choose to find out how does the exposure time length affect the tooth erosion, the following is how you may define your variables:

Independent variable (also known as manipulated variable ) is the exposure time.

Constants are the type and the amounts of acid, methods, and procedures.

Hypothesis:

Based on your gathered information, make an educated guess about what types of things affect the system you are working with. Identifying variables is necessary before you can make a hypothesis.

For this project we offer a few different hypotheses and experiments associated with that.

Hypothesis 1: Any acid can cause erosion on the teeth, so by avoiding sour foods we can prevent tooth decay. We can also rinse our mouth with anti-acids such as baking soda to prevent tooth decay.

Hypothesis 2: As the exposure time of teeth with acids increases, the amount of erosion will increase as well. To avoid that we should wash our teeth after eating sour or sweet material.

Additional sample hypotheses:

Hypothesis 3: Some foods such as candy, chocolate and other sweet foods can cause tooth decay and this has nothing to do with acids.

Hypothesis 4: Only acids formed in the mouth by the effect of bacteria on the food can cause tooth decay. So we can prevent tooth decay by removing any food that may have remained in our mouth. We can also prevent tooth decay by killing mouth bacteria and finally we can prevent tooth decay by rinsing our mouth with anti-acids.

Experiment Design:

Design an experiment to test each hypothesis. Make a step-by-step list of what you will do to answer each question. This list is called an experimental procedure. For an experiment to give answers you can trust, it must have a “control.” A control is an additional experimental trial or run. It is a separate experiment, done exactly like the others. The only difference is that no experimental variables are changed. A control is a neutral “reference point” for comparison that allows you to see what changing a variable does by comparing it to not changing anything. Dependable controls are sometimes very hard to develop. They can be the hardest part of a project. Without a control you cannot be sure that changing the variable causes your observations. A series of experiments that includes a control is called a “controlled experiment.”

Experiment 1: How do different types of acids affect tooth erosion?

Get three cups. Put Vinegar in the first, Lemon Juice in the second and water in the third. Weigh the teeth (or bones or seashells) on the gram scale and record in your science log. Place one tooth in each cup. Make daily observations and weigh the samples every week and record them in your science log. At the end of the given time, weigh the samples for the last time and record them in the science log.

• In this experiment you are not using soda or other sweet liquids because it takes a long time and certain environmental conditions for sweets to become acidic.
• If you need faster results (2 to 3 weeks) you must use bones or seashells. Tooth has a protective layer and any possible affect require many months.

Experiment 2: How does the exposure period affect the tooth erosion?

Get four cups and fill them 1/2 with vinegar. Label the cups with numbers from 1 to 4. This number represents the number of weeks a tooth sample will remain in that cup. Weigh tooth samples (or seashell samples or bone samples) and place them in the cups.

After 7 days remove the content of cup number one. Let it dry. Weigh it and record its mass in your results table.

After two weeks from the start of your experiment, remove the content of cup number two. Let it dry. Weigh it and record its mass in your results table.

After three weeks from the start of your experiment, remove the content of cup number three. Let it dry. Weigh it and record its mass in your results table.

After four weeks from the start of your experiment, remove the content of cup number four. Let it dry. Weigh it and record its mass in your results table.

Your results table may look like this:

Rate of erosion is calculated by subtracting final mass from initial mass.

Experiment 3: How do different sugars affect tooth erosion?

• Get four cups and fill them up to 3/4 with water.
• Do not add anything to the cup number 1. Label this cup with “Pure Water/ Control)
• Add a spoon full of sugar to the cup number 2. Stir it and label it as “Water Sugar”. 
• Add a spoon full of crushed chocolate to the cup number 3. Stir it and label it as “Chocolate Water”.
• Add s spoon full of dry crushed bread to the cup number 4. Stir it and label it bread water. 
• Weigh four similar and same size samples of teeth (or seashells), record it in your log and place them in cups. One sample per cup.
• Make daily observations and once a week weight the samples and record your measurements in your science log. Before each measurement, wash and dry each sample. You may use water and a tooth brush in your washing process.
• At the end of the given time (3 to 4 weeks), weigh the samples for the final time and record it in the science log.

Experiment 4: How do bacteria affect tooth erosion?

Introduction: Bacteria feed on the food remained between your teeth and grow. bacteria release digesting enzymes to digest the food; however, digesting enzymes also decompose and digest adjacent teeth. That is what we call tooth decay. Part of starch and sugar remained between the teeth will feed the bacteria and the other part will change to acids that dissolve the calcium minerals of the teeth.

Since teeth decay very slowly, for better and faster results students may try seashells in their experiment instead of real teeth.

Get four cups. Put sugar water in the first, chocolate water in the second, bread water in the third and pure water in the last cup. (To make sugar water mix a spoon full of sugar in a cup of water. To make chocolate water mix a spoon full of chocolate in a cup of water. To make bread water mix a spoon full of dried crushed bread in a cup of water.)

In each cup add one spoon saliva that contains bacteria from your mouth. Weigh the teeth on the gram scale and record in your science log. Place one tooth in each cup. Keep the cups in a warm place (To simulate body temperature). Make daily observations and record in your science log. At the end of the given time, remove the samples, wash them, let them dry and weigh them separately. Record the final weights in your science log.

Materials and Equipment:

For this experiment you need:

1. 4 few disposable plastic cups 2. Small amounts of bread, sugar and chocolate 3. Different acids such as vinegar and lemon juice 4. Some teeth that you may get from a local dentist or from a butcher. (If you cannot find teeth, do this experiment with bones or seashells) Some butchers sell sheep’s heads that you may purchase and extract the teeth.

Results of Experiment (Observation):

Make a table similar to this to record your observations:

Calculations:

Use a calculator to divide the final weight of each tooth to the weight of that tooth in the first day. The result is the percentage of the remained tooth. Subtract that number from 1 and what remains is the percentage of tooth loss or tooth decay.

You will later compare the percentage of tooth decay in your different samples to see which sample causes more tooth decay.

Summary of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to answer your original questions. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did.

Related Questions & Answers:

What you have learned may allow you to answer other questions. Many questions are related. Several new questions may have occurred to you while doing experiments. You may now be able to understand or verify things that you discovered when gathering information for the project. Questions lead to more questions, which lead to additional hypothesis that need to be tested.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References:

Following web-sites are good source of information for this project. http://specialcaredentistry.com/dproblems/decay.htm http://www.parawebdesign.com/servtemp/decay.html

http://members.rediff.com/dhc/info.html http://www.ehow.com/eHow/eHow/0,1053,2195,00.html?src=bre5 Some other reports is attached below:

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay is a dental condition that can destroy the teeth of an infant or young child. The upper front teeth are the most susceptible to damage, but other teeth also may be affected.

What causes baby bottle tooth decay? Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by the frequent and long-term exposure of a child’s teeth to liquids containing sugars. Among these liquids are milk, formula, fruit juice, sodas, and other sweetened drinks. The sugars in these liquids pool around the infant’s teeth and gums, feeding the bacteria that cause plaque. Every time your child consumes a sugary liquid, acid attacks his/her teeth. After numerous attacks, tooth decay can occur, resulting in baby bottle tooth decay.

Parents and care givers should be especially concerned with giving an infant a sugary drink at nap or night time. During sleep, the flow of saliva decreases, allowing the sugary liquids to pool around the child’s teeth for an extended period of time.

How to prevent baby bottle tooth decay Parents sometimes do not realize that baby’s teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they appear in the infant’s mouth. By the time the decay is noticed, it may be too late to save the child’s teeth. You can prevent this from happening to your child’s teeth by knowing how to protect them.

After each feeding wipe the child’s teeth and gums with a damp washcloth or small soft toothbrush to remove plaque. Begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth erupts. Flossing should being when all primary teeth have erupted, usually by age 2 or 2 1/2. Never allow your child to fall asleep with a bottle containing a sweetened liquid. If your child refuses to fall asleep without a bottle, simply fill it with water and nothing else. If your local water supply does not contain enough decay-fighting fluoride, check with your dentist to see if your child should receive fluoride supplements. Start dental visits between six and twelve months of age. How serious is baby bottle tooth decay? Baby bottle tooth decay can cause painful toothaches which can hinder eating. Severely decayed teeth can become infected and need to be extracted. If your child’s teeth are infected or lost too early due to baby bottle tooth decay, your child may have some of these problems:

Poor eating habits Speech problems Crooked teeth Damaged adult (permanent) teeth Yellow or brown adult (permanent) teeth Keep your child happy and smiling by preventing baby bottle tooth decay.

Clean Teeth and Gums

Having a clean mouth is important. In addition to being healthier, it gives you fresh breath and a nicer smile.

When you eat, bits of food, some too small for you to see, remain in your mouth. They feed bacteria that grow in a sticky film on your teeth. This film, called plaque, is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

Why brush? Brushing your teeth after meals and between-meal snacks not only gets rid of the food particles that you can see, it removes plaque from your teeth. Using a fluoride toothpaste is important because the fluoride can help kill bacteria, as well as make your teeth stronger.

Ask your dentist to recommend the best toothbrush for you. Generally, a brush with soft, end-rounded or polished bristles is less likely to injure gum tissue. The size and shape of the brush should allow you to reach every tooth. children may need smaller brushes than those designed for adults. Remember: worn-out toothbrushes can not properly clean your teeth and may injure your gums. Toothbrushes should be replaced every three or four months.

Why floss? Flossing removes plaque and food particles from between teeth and under the gumline, areas your toothbrush can not reach. Because tooth decay and periodontal disease often start in these areas, it is important to clean them thoroughly on a daily basis.

Flossing is a skill that needs to be learned. Do not be discouraged if you find it difficult at first. With practice, you will find that flossing takes only a few minutes of your time each day.

What about mouthrinses and mouthwashes? If used as directed, in addition to brushing and flossing, mouthrinses and mouthwashes can help to prevent tooth decay.

How often should I see my dentist? If possible, you should visit your dentist every six months for a preventive check and cleaning. Infants should see a dentist at about 12 months of age.

http://www.ada.org/public/faq/bottle.html

Also check this site: http://text.nlm.nih.gov/nih/cdc/www/40txt.html#Head0

http://www.qualitydentistry.com/htopics/vaccine/

Oral Health, Tooth Decay, and the Need for Water Fluoridation

Tooth decay is increasingly a disease of social deprivation and is reported to be on the increase in young children in the poorer parts of the UK – except where water has been fluoridated. For example, 5-year-old children in NON-FLUORIDATED BOLTON have around four times more tooth decay than 5-year-olds living in FLUORIDATED SOUTH BIRMINGHAM. (An average of 3.36 and 0.92 teeth affected respectively.)

Studies show that topping up the natural fluoride in water to the optimum level of one part of fluoride per million parts of water is SAFE (in the US where over 60% of the population receive fluoridated water, fluoridation has been practised for over 50 years), and the most cost-effective means of preventing tooth decay. Generally, fluoridation reduces decay rates by around half.

Only 10% of the UK (mainly the West Midlands and North East) receives fluoridated water. Areas with very high tooth decay rates which need fluoridation include the North West, Merseyside, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and some socially deprived communities in the South (eg Inner London).

Independent opinion polls consistently show that more than 75% of people think fluoride should be added to water if it can reduce tooth decay.

The Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985, and the associated guidance from the Department of Health, make it clear that responsibility for decisions about water fluoridation lies with health authorities (HAs), who are required to consult the appropriate local authorities, community health councils, and any other local bodies considered appropriate. In addition, HAs must publicise their water fluoridation proposals through the local press and invite public comment. HAs must allow a period of at least three months for this consultation process before making a final decision.

Following a request from a health authority, water suppliers are supposed to fluoridate supplies – unless there are insurmountable technical difficulties. However, some water suppliers are claiming that the Act gives them discretion and to date several water companies, including North West Water, Northumbrian Water, Yorkshire Water, Welsh Water, and Southern Water, have adopted a clear policy of refusing to implement new schemes -regardless of technical feasibility. Clearly it is unacceptable that water suppliers are dictating public health policy in this way. Their actions are denying people protection against a painful, yet preventable, disease.

It is increasingly clear that no health authority will be able to persuade its local water supplier to change its stance, and it is likely that little progress will be made unless there is a review of the working and interpretation of the Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985, and in particular the responsibility (and level of discretion) of the water industry.

http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/quickndirty/eric/toothdecay.html

Researchers say they have developed a safe, effective and painless vaccine that could prevent tooth decay by eliminating bacteria from the mouth.(CNN)

Developed by California-based Planet Biotechnology, and tested at Guy’s Hospital in London, the plant-based vaccine is painted on teeth and produces antibodies that prevent harmful bacteria from sticking to teeth and causing cavities.

The vaccine was produced by genetically modifying tobacco plants to carry antibodies to streptococcus mutans, which causes 95 percent of tooth decay.

Volunteers received the tasteless, colorless vaccine twice a week for three weeks for a total of six applications.

“What we showed is that by applying this antibody you can prevent the bacteria that is targeted against — streptococcus mutans — from sticking to the teeth,” Dr. Julian Ma said.

To conduct the study, researchers first used a mouth rinse to reduce the levels of the bacteria in the volunteers to zero. Then they applied a control, or placebo solution, to some patients and the vaccine to others.

Within two months, the bacteria returned in the mouths of the control group while those who received the vaccine were protected for up to four months.

Ma said this is the first plant-derived vaccine from genetically modified plants to ever go into human clinical trials.

“We have now found a way of using plants to produce this vaccine safely and in large quantities. It would not be possible otherwise,” he said.

Another vaccine, derived from mice, has proved successful in fighting bacteria, but it is so difficult and expensive to produce it has not been developed for consumer use.

Planet Biotechnology is planning to conduct a larger study this summer with about 60 patients.

The company hopes they can roll out a consumer product in 2001 or 2002.

http://www.mb.com.ph/HLTH/2001-01/HL012503.asp http://www.hivdent.org/_peag/faq-deca.htm http://www.healthpages.org/AHP/LIBRARY/CHILDREN/TEETH/pg000002.htm http://www.sgreen.com/32.htm

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