BEVERAGE EFFECTS ON HUMAN TOOTH ENAMEL

Frankie VozzaCentral Catholic High School

Grade 9February 6,2010

PROBLEM

Does the prolonged exposure of human teeth in a beverage effect the thickness of enamel?

DENTAL PRINCIPLES

The profession of diagnosing and treating conditions that occur in the tissues of the mouth

Necessary for complete overall health

THE HUMAN TOOTH

TOOTH ANATOMY: ENAMEL

Hardest and most mineralized substance of the body.

96 % percent mineral with 4% water and other organic material

Often up to 3.1 millimeters thick

TOOTH ANATOMY-DENTIN

One of the four major components of teeth

Covered by the enamel and surrounds the entire pulp.

Less mineralized than enamel

Necessary for the support of enamel.

70% percent of mineral, 20% percent organic material and 10% percent water.

TOOTH ANATOMY- PULP

Softest part of the tooth

Lies in the root and extends all of the way to the top part of the tooth

The pulp contains: blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue

Essential for supplying the tooth with nutrients and sensation.

TOOTH ANATOMY- NERVE

Contained in the pulp of the tooth.

Send signals to the brain that convey where the teeth are in the mouth (If the mouth is open or closed).

Supplies sensation of pain

TOOTH ANATOMY PERIODONTAL LIGAMENTSpecialized tissues that attach the tooth to the bone

Acts as guard in which it detects the forces being placed on the teeth

Supporting tissue and is about 0.2 millimeters in width

Breakdown of Enamel

Occurs within the deep grooves, pits, and fissures of enamel.

These locations are impossible to reach with a toothbrush and allow for bacteria to reside

Leads to the demineralization of enamel

Breakdown of Enamel

Sugars from candies, soft drinks, and juices play a significant role in tooth decay.

pH in the mouth initially decreases from the ingestion of sugars

Enamel is demineralized and

left vulnerable for about 30 minutes.

Enamel begins to demineralize and eventually the acid eats away into the thickness of the enamel

ACIDITY OF USED BEVERAGES

pH scale: a range of values that are used to express acidity or basicity of a solution.

Describes a solution in which is lower than 7 is acidic and higher than 7 is basic. ( 7 is neutral)

Beverage Acidity Level(Ph scale)

Coke Classic 2.53

Milk, 2% 6.8

Orange Juice 3.30-4.15

Tap Water 4.0-7.0

Pure Water 7.0

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE

To determine if the prolonged exposure to a beverage has an effect on tooth enamel.

Null Hypothesis

Prolonged exposure of enamel in tested beverages will not significantly reduce enamel thickness.

Alternative Hypothesis

Prolonged exposure of enamel in tested beverages will cause significant reduction in enamel thickness.

MATERIALS

1.Perioprobe

2. Dissecting Microscope

3. Experimental liquids ( 2% milk ,Coke Classic , orange juice, Tap water, distilled water)

4. Extracted and sterilized human teeth

5. Lab Materials (Plaster mixing equipment)

PROCEDURE1. Observed and recorded initial thickness of enamel

2. Precisely measured the amount of pure water to be put into plastic container with graduated cylinder (1 liter)

3. Sterilized the extracted teeth and visually examined, making sure no defects were present.

4. Mounted four teeth in each plaster trough.

5. Placed the teeth inside the plastic container completely submerged in liquid.

7. Let the teeth soak in pure water for twelve hours nonstop then removed teeth from liquid environment for 12 hours.

8. Repeated Step 6 for Four weeks daily.

8. After four weeks, teeth were removed and rinsed thoroughly.

9. Teeth were then sectioned with a diamond toothed cutting bur by dental student at Univ. of Pittsburgh Dental School.

10. Used a perioprobe (dental instrument) to measure the thickness of enamel at cusp tips using dissecting microscope provided by CCHS.

11. Recorded the data in a Record Book and computed averages.

12. Made general visual and tactile observations and recorded findings.

13. Repeated Steps 5-12 with each set of mounted teeth in their respective experimental liquid ( 2%Milk, Classic Coke, Orange Juice, Tap water).

14. Compared data charts together and analyzed results, making comparisons of enamel thickness measurements.

INITIAL ENAMEL THICKNESS

Beverage

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Average

Water 3.0 3.0 3.1 2.9 3.0

Orange Juice

3.0 2.9 2.8 3.0 2.925

2% Milk 3.0 2.8 3.1 2.8 2.925

Tap Water 2.9 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.90

ClassicCoke

3.0 2.8 3.1 2.8 2.95

Table 1. Thickness Recorded with perioprobe

Final Enamel ThicknessBeverage Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Average Observations

Water 3.0 3.0 3.1 2.9 3 No observable change

Orange Juice

2.75 2.50 2.4 2.7 2.5625 Teeth appeared more translucent than control

2% Milk 3.0 2.4 2.7 2.5 2.65 No observable change

Tap Water 2.75 3.0 2.9 2.4 2.7625 No observable change

ClassicCoke

2.7 2.3 2.6 2.2 2.525 Dark brown color extended deep into tooth with soft outer surface

Table 2. Thicknesses of Enamel measured under dissecting microscope and general observations.

Beverage

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Average Changed

Orange Juice

8.33% 16.66% 14.28% 13.33% 13.15%

2% Milk 0% 14.28% 14.81% 10.71%% 9.95%

Tap Water 5.17% 3.44% 3.57% 14.28% 6.61%%

Coke Classic

11.11% 17.85% 16.12% 21.42% 16.625%

Percent Change Between Initial and Final Enamel

Thickness

Percent changed by millimeters

DECREASE OF ENAMEL THICKNESS

Water Orange Juice Milk Tap Water Pop 0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

Average changed

Tested Beverages

En

amel

Th

ickn

ess

Ch

ang

ed

P= 0.001601

ANOVA Analysis of variance

Statistical test comparing variation within and between experimental groups

If the P-value is lower than the value (.05), then the result is significant ( a result of the variable influence )

Anova: Single Factor

SUMMARY

Groups Count Sum Average Variance

Column 1 4 0 0 0

Column 2 4 1.45 0.3625 0.005625

Column 3 4 1.1 0.275 0.035833

Column 4 4 0.55 0.1375 0.035625

Column 5 4 1.9 0.475 0.015833

ANOVA

Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit

Between Groups 0.55625 4 0.139063 7.483184 0.001601 3.055568

Within Groups 0.27875 15 0.018583

Total 0.835 19

ENAMEL THICKNESS DUNNETT’S TESTT- CRITICAL= 3.70

Beverage T-Value Interpretation

Orange Juice 1.75 Not Significant

2% Milk 1.42 Not Significant

Tap Water .71 Not Significant

Coke Classic 2.46 Not Significant

CONCLUSIONS

Rejected the alternative and accepted the null hypothesis

No significant difference in enamel thickness

Liquids alone cannot cause teeth to decay.

Demineralization did occur but the enamel did not breakdown.

LIMITATIONS, EXTENSIONS, AND FUTURE STUDIES

Limitations

Decay did not exactly occur because chemical, pathological, and mechanical factors were not all present.

Not all teeth were identical.

Extensions, and Future Studies

Larger groups of teeth will be employed in the next series of testing.

Mechanical breakdown will also be a factor

Different acidic beverages will be tested

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bauman, Robert W. Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy (2nd Edition) (The Microbiology Place Series). San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2006. Print.

Roberson, Theodore. Sturdevant's Art & Science of Operative Dentistry. Chicago: Mosby-Year Book, 2001. Print.

Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2006. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed January 29, 2010 at http://animaldiversity.org.

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/tooth-decay-topic-overview