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Sugary Soda Causes Tooth Decay
This experiment is fun for all ages to show the students the effects of sugary drinks on
their oral hygiene and tooth enamel. Sugary drinks are not only unhealthy, but they later lead to
tooth decay and sometimes tooth loss. This experiment is a fun and easy experiment to not only
do at home but in the classroom. It shows students how the sugar destroys the tooth enamel and
eventually leads to tooth decay. But also, the importance of brushing their teeth and how having
the proper oral hygiene can save their teeth as well. In this experiment students will learn about
the importance of maintaining healthy teeth. If not properly taken care of healthy teeth can
become decayed, discolored, and rotten by drinking too much sugary drinks like sodas and
juices. That is why it is so important students learn about the consequences of not having proper
hygiene. Brushing your teeth, flossing, and going to dental appointments are all proactive ways
to save your teeth.
Question/Problem
Do sugary or acidic drinks such as soda really weaken the tooth enamel in both children and
adults?
Literature Review
To learn more about taking care of their teeth and personal hygiene the students will read
the book “Personal Hygiene? what does that have to do with me?” The book shows the students
the proper way of taking care of their body and teeth by brushing, flossing, and going to their
dental appointments. “Keeping your body clean includes not only bathing and washing your
hands, but also taking care of your hair and teeth, keeping your fingernails cleaned and trimmed,
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and making sure to put on deodorant and wear clean clothes” (Crissey & Crissey, 2005, p. 7). All
these things are important in making sure that a student is happy and healthy as well. Oral
hygiene plays a huge role in how healthy a student is, so it is essential that students know the
dangers of eating and drinking too much sugar. “Dentists tell people to stay away from sugary
food and drinks, such as candy and soda. These foods can lead to tooth decay by coating your
teeth with sugar” ( Honders, 2020;2019, p. 12). Especially surgery drinks, sodas, and snacks.
The bacteria and the sugar from the food is what decays the teeth and eventually tooth loss
occurs ( Honders, 2020;2019).
As the educator, I will make sure that my students are educated and informed on the
importance of their oral hygiene and their health. To show them the importance of not eating too
much sugar in general but sugary drinks as well. I will demonstrate this experiment by using
eggs. Eggshells are made up of mostly calcium just like our teeth enamel sugary foods in general
are not good for teeth. The reason is because it sticks to the teeth surface, and then the bacteria
break down the sugar to make acid which can in the end damage your teeth. Students will also
need to know that sugary sodas and fizzy drinks contain carbonation, sugar, and acids that have
mechanisms that will eventually break down or weaken the tooth enamel. Just like in the
eggshells and encourages the growth of bacteria that will eventually contribute to tooth decay. It
not only destroys and dissolves the color, but it weakens it. Although all sugary drinks are bad
for students' hygiene and health. There are some drinks that stand out the most like sodas and
fizzy drinks. Even if they are sugar free, they are still considered unhealthy and bad for your
teeth. Each drink already has an elevated level of acidity in their drinks but the two sugary drinks
that top the list are Coca-Cola and apple juice they both rot your teeth faster and have natural
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sugars in them. The tiny bacteria that live between and around teeth, and when exposed to the
sugar in soft drinks, produces an acid that causes damage to the tooth enamel.
Variables
Control: One egg is neutral and untouched and is in water.
Independent: Out of the 5 cups each cup is labeled and has its own sugary drink with grape juice,
soda, and Gatorade.
Dependent: How much of the eggs got discolored or even lost its texture due to the sugary
drinks.
Experimental Design/Procedure
What is so unique about this experiment is that anyone can do it and most of the materials
that are used in this design are commonly found in most households, so it is not expensive to do.
The materials that will be used in this experiment will be
5 eggs
Soda
Diet Soda
Water
Juice
Clear cups
Data of Collection
First place the eggs in a clear cup. Then pour the liquid in each cup and make sure that
the sugary liquid covers the eggs. Also, make sure each cup is labeled correctly with whatever
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sugary drink is used. Let the eggs in the cups sit in a safe location for at least 3 days. Then
remove the eggs, record the observations, and changes that the students might have seen. If
correctly done the egg with the coke should be stained the darkest. The egg that had the water
should have been no change. The egg with juice should have stained but also grow slightly
bigger. The egg with the Gatorade should have dyed the same color as the drink.
Hypothesis
If students continue to drink acidic sugary drinks like sodas, then they will have tooth loss and
decay.
Log Observations
Water-Since the water was neutral there were no changes in the egg. Water is the healthiest
liquid to drink because it will not break down the tooth enamel.
Soda- causes discoloration and stains the eggs with a deep brown color. The outer layer shell of
the egg is not softened. Sodas in general can lead to weakening of the tooth enamel just like the
eggshells that were used in the experiment.
Juice-The outer shell of the egg softened but also gave the egg a stained brown look.
Gatorade-The egg turns the same color as the Gatorade. For example, yellow Gatorade will turn
the dye of the egg yellow. It also made the egg increase in size and become dehydrated.
Graph of Results
These are the results of how much acid and sugar were in the eggs when doing the
experiment. Of course, Coke had the most acid, then the sports drink, juices, and water had none.
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Unfortunately, because there was so much sugar in the eggs that it stained the egg with Coke a
deep brown. The sports drink dyed the egg, made it slightly bigger and looked dehydrated. The
juices stained the eggs light brown. The egg with the water did not see any change in its color
and texture. The reason is because water does not destroy the teeth enamel, it is the healthiest
drink for teeth and gums.
Inference/Conclusion
The hypothesis was indeed correct that sugary drinks and juices are not good for teeth
because when the sugar stick to the surface of the teeth the bacteria then break down the sugar to
make acid which cannot only damage teeth but leads to tooth decay and tooth loss as well.
Drinking less or no acidic sugary drinks can lead to healthier and stronger teeth. Drinking less
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sugary drinks and brushing can also help your teeth with proper hygiene. In conclusion, to prove
my research, when the drinks had little or no acid the eggs did not change or show discoloration
but when there was higher acidity and sugar in the beverages and sodas the eggs (enamel) were
weakened and discolored. It proves the point that beverages that are high in acid and sugar do
destroy and decay the tooth enamel. Water is the best drink to keep a beautiful and healthy
mouth.
