Welcome to celery Plaque Watchers Supertooth School Project No1.
Using science to help understand and benefit your health.
PLAQUE
* The toothbrush and fluoride fail to prevent cavities between teeth and inside pits and fissures, the grooves on chewing surfaces of back teeth. FIND OUT WHY?
 Science can improve tooth care to prevent dental disease, advance human welfare and benefit society.
No2.Celery * No3.Glass Model * Colouring Book

The following facts are necessary to help understand a number of deficiencies in current tooth care.

*Plaque bacteria change sugar and starch to acid each time we eat.
*Acid demineralises and softens tooth surfaces eventually causing cavities in teeth.
*Proper Brushing removes plaque from gum margins where cavities rarely occur.
*Flossing removes plaque between teeth but few people floss so 20% of cavities occur between teeth.
*Brushing before breakfast removes plaque from gum margins reducing acid attack there while eating.
*Flossing removes plaque between teeth reducing acid attack there through the day.
*Plaque can double every 20 minutes. 8 hours after cleaning, significant acid attack is again possible.
*Fluoride increases tooth resistance to acid attack so it takes longer to develop cavities.
*Plaque is always present inside pits and fissures to cause acid attack when eating.
*80% of cavities occur inside pits and fissures on chewing surfaces where the brush cannot reach.
*Dentists can apply a sealant to prevent these cavities in grooves but they often need replacing.
*Removing food after eating reduces acid attack where there is plaque and inhibits plaque growth.
*Saliva neutralises acid and repairs demineralised tooth mostly at gum margins where it has access.
*Saliva does not have access inside grooves or between teeth where the brush cannot reach.

See Plaque at Gum Margins and Between Teeth with common kitchen Food Dye in class at school or at home

Tip 1cm of red food dye into a small glass with a tablet of non suger sweeter for taste.
Place straws into the dye so each member of the class to wipe dye over front top teeth.
Lick the dye off teeth. Swish around front teeth and spit into a paper towel.
Look in a mirror. You can see red dye in plaque at gum margins and between teeth.
Most plaque is seen where you have not brushed recently. It is too hard to see plaque inside grooves.
Scrape some pink plaque off gum margins or between teeth with the straw. Plaque is white if not stained.
Put the plaque end of the straws into a glass of sugar and water. Test with blue litmus paper. It remains blue.
Store at body temperature till the next day. Test with blue litmus paper. It turns pink because it is now acid.
(This shows that plaque bacteria grow in sugar solution and produce acid. Dispose of straws  appropriately.
 Place straws in a plastic bag and deposit in rubbish disposal container. Flush liquid down sink or toilet.)

Do this at home and see how well you brush and floss.
The handle of a spoon or fork will do to dip in the dye bottle at home instead of a straw and a glass.
Colour plaque on front teeth as described above.
Stroke once through the coloured plaque with a dry brush. Note what the bristles do in that stroke.
Do the brisle ends follow the stroke like a paintbush or moove ahead like a chisle.
How much plaque was removed? How much pink is on the bristle ends?
Wash the plaque off the brush. Position all the bristle ends at about 45^o  towards the gum on the biting end of the tooth where there is little plaque. Move the bristle ends in front of the brush into the space between the gum and the tooth in a chisel action.  How much plaque was removed? How much pink is on the bristle ends?
Which stroke removes most plaque. Which stroke gets between teeth best? Paint brush or chisel action?
Now brush your teeth with toothpaste and see if you get all the plaque. Floss between teeth to see if any pink plaque is left behind.
How do you think you should clean your teeth?

Chewing celery after eating can remove food and plaque.
Colour plaque with red food dye and chew some celery making sure not to swallow the string which can be made move over gum margins with lip and tongue control. Practice can greatly improve this skill. See how much plaque is removed and if there is some still present. Move the fibre bolus over the plaque under finger pressure and see how easy the plaque is removed.

After chewing certain foods some food remains stuck to chewing surfaces and often brushing cannot remove it easily. Try chewing celery to remove it. How effective is this?

Learn more in lesson 2.

For more info contact Plaque Watchers or

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