Tooth decay investigation

This week in Science, Hazel and the class carried out a fascinating experiment to explore how different drinks can affect our teeth. Since we couldn’t use real teeth, we used eggs instead—their shells are made of calcium, just like tooth enamel!

We tested six liquids: water, juice, squash, tea, cola, and milk. Each egg was placed in one of these drinks and left for a few days. Here’s what we discovered:

• Water – No change at all! A great reminder that water is the best drink for healthy teeth.

• Juice & Tea – Some staining, but the shells stayed strong.

• Cola – Dark staining and a slight smell, but the shell remained intact.

• Milk – No damage, but it did start to smell after a while!

• Squash – This was the biggest surprise! The egg turned white and the shell weakened. We think this happened because squash contains lots of sugar, which bacteria in our mouths turn into acid. Acid breaks down enamel, just like it broke down the egg shell.

The experiment was a little smelly by the end, but it taught us an important lesson: sugary drinks can really harm our teeth. Water is definitely the winner, and of course brushing our teeth regularly!