Acidic Substances and Teeth

by Brittany S
(Cleveland, Ohio, USA)

Dissolving the Status Quo: The Enamel Rebellion - Every sip of soda is an experiment in environmental destruction. Read this if you want to see the invisible chemistry that erodes everything from your teeth to the tallest mountains.

Brittany tells us... I did this project in 6th grade. Using good teeth from my dentist's office, I conducted an experiment to see what substances would cause tooth decay.

I took pictures of each tooth so I could see the results at the end of my experiment. I placed the teeth in individual covered petri dishes, then added different substances to each dish. One dish had dark cola, one dish had water, and one dish had Kool-Aid. Every week, I checked the teeth and took a new picture.

At the end of the experiment, you could see that the tooth sitting in cola was rotten. The one sitting in Kool-Aid was also rotten, but not quite as bad. The tooth in water had no change.

It was really interesting and no one else in my class did a project like that. Most of the other projects were plant-related, like giving Plant A plant food/nutrients and not giving any to Plant B to see which one will grow the best.

Another one I remember was a project that dealt with the senses. People at the science fair were asked to taste a piece of candy (I think the student used Lifesavers) then were asked to try the same candy while holding their nose. It turned out that since a lot of the taste sense is connected to the smell sense, you couldn't really taste anything that well if your nose is closed!

The tooth experiment is a really good project and since most students do simpler projects, I think it would definitely stand out to teachers and judges! You could easily get some teeth from your dentist's office. The teeth I used were from wisdom tooth extractions so they were in good condition before doing the experiment.

Barry's Response - Interesting, B. A miniature environmental impact assessment using teeth as the subject. The most challenging part must have been getting the dentist to just hand over some used teeth for your experiment.

What does this have to do with air? Glad you asked...

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Acidic Substances and Teeth: The Enamel Rebellion

Adults love to lecture. You're supposed to brush your teeth. You're supposed to save the planet. But they never tell you that your mouth and the atmosphere have similar chemistry. Don't do "Plant A vs. Plant B." That's boring. That's fine. Erosion is the slow, quiet theft of structures.

1. Carbonic drink Brittany used dark cola. Why? The acid in cola is phosphoric and carbonic. CO2 comes out of your mouth. Carbonic acid (H2CO3) is created when CO2 touches water.
   
   In mainstream science, our breath CO2 is turning the oceans into a giant bowl of Kool-Aid that dissolves coral reefs. Here's the counter-narrative: the Earth has handled massive spikes in acidity for eons. The aquatic environment persists despite volcanoes spewing more sulphur and carbon into the sky than a billion soda cans. Like your saliva protects your teeth, the ocean has a buffer system. Earth isn't a fragile ornament; it's a self-cleaning machine.
2. The Smog Smile and air quality When nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) hitch a ride on raindrops, you get acid rain.
   • Acid rain doesn't just melt Greek marble statues or Egyptian ruins; it changes the pH of the water that feeds your plants.
   • We worry about acidification of the world, but we pour acid directly onto our teeth every lunch break. Let's start by not dissolving our own smiles first if we want to save the world.
3. The Skeptic's Enamel: Freedom of Thought Skeptics say climate change is overblown. We're called to be stewards of a resilient creation. Computer models shouldn't scare us. Though we could use our own thoughts instead.
   • Is it acid or sugar that makes the tooth rot?
   • Is it us or the sun that changes the planet?
   Most of the time, the answer is somewhere near the middle.
4. The Carbon-Sink Tooth: A Revolutionary Idea What if we stopped looking at teeth as victims? Imagine a toothpaste that uses bio-mineralization to convert your teeth into carbon-capture devices. Every time you breathe, your teeth pull CO2 from your breath and lock it in. Just by smiling, we could save the planet.

Masterclass on Acid Substances and Teeth

Your presentation on this science project needs to be charismatic if you want to win. You don't have to just stand there. Get people's attention. Let's challenge them. How it works:

• Get real wisdom teeth from a dentist. Secure them in airtight jars. Pour the liquids: Cola, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, and Pure Water. But here's the Inventor's Twist: add a jar of Simulated Acid Rain (water mixed with sulphuric acid).
• Here's what you might see: Take a look at how the cola stains the calcium. Watch how the vinegar decalcifies the surface until the tooth feels rubbery. The Acid Rain jar mimics ancient architecture's erosion.
• Here's the conclusion: The world is eroding. Whether it's a tooth in a dish or a reef in the Pacific, pH balance determines survival. Conserve our resources and protect our temples (our bodies and our planet). We also have to reject panic. It's science that thrives on debate, not consensus. Someone who says science is settled is a librarian, not a scientist.

Here's why it works

It doesn't matter whether you believe in radical environmentalism or traditional stewardship: Rot is bad. The project appeals to our desire for environmental protection with a healthy dose of skepticism of the system. It is heartfelt, a little weird, and it's 100% original.

Dare yourself to think for yourself. Is the Acid Substances and Teeth experiment proof we're destroying the world or just better habits?

What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen dissolve? If you could grow a new planet, would you give it a buffer system to stop the acid, or let it erode? Comment away!