Using Eggs as a Dental Hygiene Experiment

A hands-on science experiment is a good learning experience. The students will be more likely to remember a learning experience if it’s real-life. One of Begawan’s learning principles is that students should learn by doing. We often implement this principle through hands-on science experiments, where the students can do something – observe, touch, smell, taste – giving students the chance to discover the world on their own.

As part of the Teeth Theme, on July 13, Begawan’s students conducted a tooth decay experiment with eggshells. They chose eggs to represent teeth, as an egg shell is made of a similar substance to tooth enamel. They submerged eggs in different liquids, including coke, juice, vinegar, coffee, milk, alcohol, with water as the control liquid. For each liquid, they prepared an egg covered with fluoride toothpaste and an egg without toothpaste. They want to know the effect of fluoride toothpaste on their teeth.

The next day, Begawan’s students observed changes in the colour, size, or shape of the experimental eggs. They found that eggs submerged in coke and coffee left stains on the eggshell, and it took time to clean the stains. They also found toothpaste-covered eggs stained less than those without toothpaste. The most drastic changes occured in eggs soaked in the vinegar. The vinegar completely dissolved the eggshell, leaving just the membrane behind. The students concluded that vinegar is bad for teeth because of the acid weakens the tooth enamel.

This experiment encourages students to understand the importance of a healthy oral health routine and diet. The students really enjoyed this learning process! (Ketut Desy)