Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body but can be destroyed by acid and plaque buildup, leading to tooth decay. Foods and drinks with a pH level below 5.5 can cause erosion and decay, as the acid demineralizes enamel. Children are especially at risk of early decay due to bottle feeding with sugary liquids and lack of brushing. Frequent acid exposure from foods and drinks damages enamel over time if the mouth does not have enough time to neutralize acidity through saliva and remineralize enamel. Maintaining good oral hygiene through brushing and regular dental checkups can help prevent tooth decay.

1. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
The tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. It is even harder
that the any of your bones; however, it can also be destroyed by acid and buildup of
bacteria. This causes the enamel too dissolve and/or decay. The purpose of the tooth's
enamel is to protect your teeth from damage. However, when you chew you risk
damaging your teeth because you grind on each particle so that you are able to swallow
the food that you are eating. Majority of the time the enamel is hard enough to prevent
damage while eating. The enamel may be hard to the surface but it can easily crack
and/ or chip. If your food gets stuck between the crevasses of your teeth, it hardens.
Tooth enamel can be restored, but it is very expensive to get done due to the
technology that is used to complete the actions.
Human teeth are small structures found in the mouth and are used to break
down food. The roots of teeth are embedded in either the upper jaw or lower jaw and
are covered by gums. Teeth are made of many tissues of varying density and hardness.
Plaque is another part of the teeth enamel that is made up of saliva, food
particles, bacteria, and other substances that come in contact of your teeth through
chewing. It is most prominent on the grooved chewing surfaces of back molars, just

2. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
above the gum line on all teeth, and at the edges of fillings. Plaque and calculus irritate
the gums, resulting in gingivitis and ultimately periodontitis. In some cases the bacteria
in plaque turns food starches into acid which erodes teeth. During this process the acidy
plaque starts to eat away the healthy minerals in the tooth enamel, this causes the
enamel to wear and tear and become pitted.
Food and drinks are the most common cause of tooth erosion due to the acidic
level. Generally foods and drinks with a pH level of 5.0-5.7 have been known to trigger
teeth erosion/decay. There have been numerous researches in clinical trials and reports
that have linked erosion to excessive consumption of drinks. Other beverages that pose
are soft and fruit drinks, fruit juice (orange juice) which contains citric acid, and
carbonated drinks. Wine has also been another beverage that has been known to stain
teeth with the pH level of 3.0-3.8; other possible sources of erosive acids are from
exposure to chlorinated swimming pool water, and regurgitation of gastric acids.
The lower you go down the pH scale {0-6} the substance is an acid; therefore,
they are harmful to consume this causes your teeth to erode. Acidic drinks and foods
lower the pH level of the mouth, so consuming those high acidic levels causes the teeth
to demineralize. For example, orange and apple juice are tasty and healthy for you ;

3. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
however, their citrus acidic level are high and constantly drinking those juices, it will do
permanent damage to a person gorgeous smile.
Children teeth start to decay at a very young age such as birth. Some children
start getting gum and tooth infections between the age of 0-3, due to the lack of teeth
brushing and wiping gums to remove and plaque. Children teeth are more sensitive
than adult teeth are; kids play and mistreat their teeth all the time. For example, they
sometime refuse to brush their teeth, eat lemons or limes, and grind their teeth. These
all pose a major threat to their tooth care and why so many kids have to get cavity fill in
or silver and/or gold caps to cover up rotten teeth that has decayed.
When it comes to infants parent have to find ways to put their child to sleep and
majority of the time they will stick a bottle in their mouth to relax them in to going to
sleep; however what parent does not realize that those liquids that are in those bottle
contain sugar that can sit in your child teeth and poses a serious risk of major tooth
decay.
In early development of children, it is very bad to start off with tooth decay because it
leads to years of treatment from physicians. Some children get plaque on their gums

4. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
before they start to teeth and this puts them at risk of early gum diseases that can be
fatal to their health.
Saliva acts as a buffer when it comes to regulating the pH when acidic drinks are
ingested. Some drinks vary in their resistance to the buffering effect of salvia. Studies
have shown that fruit juices are most likely to resist saliva buffering effect. In example
fruit based carbonated drinks and flavored mineral waters, non-fruit based carbonated
drinks, sparkling mineral waters.
Everything that we eat has acid in them, some acids are weak and others are
pretty strong. When the acid in foods gets in our teeth they can reduce the thickness of
the tooth enamel and change in texture, shape, and appearance of your teeth. This
action makes your teeth become more sensitive and receptive to mare pain of cold or
hot particles. When the tooth enamel is exposed to acid from food, beverages, and/or
the stomach it temporally softens some of the mineral content. The saliva will attempt to
help neutralize acidity and restore the mouth’s natural balance. It will also slowly began
to harden the tooth enamel; however, because the tooth enamel repair process is
extremely slow and acid attacks happen a lot more frequently than you would think

5. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
and/or hope so the enamel does not get adequate enough time to heal back to its
normal density.
Acid are not only in just what you eat it is also in your mouth from previous
encounters. Your mouth sometimes holds and retains acidic beverages in the mouth
and prolonging the acid exposure on the teeth, which increases the risk of tooth erosion.
What people do not realize that swishing acidic beverages around in your mouth like
you do mouths wash; the acid from the beverage can be caught in the nooks and
crannies of your teeth and gums, thereof putting you in further risk of damaging your
teeth due to acid erosion.
Most people think about vitamin D and how it is good for your bones; however,
they forget all about the jaw bones imbedded under your teeth. Most gum diseases
affect the mouth in a bad way and they decrease the bone density. When the density is
lost this causes your teeth to become weak and agile, and you are unable to your food
properly.
During a day’s journey the teeth go through a lot of hardship, from the time you
wake up in the morning you brush your teeth and get them ready for the normal day

6. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
torture of food and beverages. You start of by eating breakfast and a little drink to wash
it down, then you continue on with your day and you snack in between meals and later
eat lunch. Once you get home you may decide to brush your teeth again just to get out
the bacteria’s that are in your mouth from the morning, your go on to snack some more
and later eat dinner. When you reflect upon your day you have realize that you have put
a lot of sugar, bacteria, tooth paste (fluoride), and you have saliva. All of these features
are fighting in your mouth an you are hoping that the saliva and fluoride are doing the
best to make sure that your teeth does not began to decay. But when unfortunate
events happen what do you do, who do you turn to for help? You consult your dentist
and ask about what is the best tooth paste that you can use to help prevent this event
again, and do your regular checkups. When you go for your checkups make sure you
ask a lot of questions concerning your dental health and how to maintain the current or
better health of your teeth, you will also need to need to know additional information
about tooth decay as well. And remember attempt to stay away from as many
carbonated beverages as much as possible, but you and I both know that is one tricky
habit to break.

7. Jeffery Fairley
Ms. Dawson
Chemistry 1
13 April 2015
8th
Block
Tooth Decay Research Paper
References:
http://www.humanaonedental.com/dental-health-articles/tooth-enamel.asp
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tooth-enamel-erosion-restoration?page=2
http://www.projects.juliantrubin.com/science_fair_project/medicine/tooth_decay.html
http://2min2x.org/about-kids-teeth/prevent-decay
http://2min2x.org/about-kids-teeth/baby-tooth-decay#article
http://www.joybauer.com/how-food-affects-teeth.aspx