This week's Life Skills/Health lesson is about proper dental hygiene. We did an experiment that really made an impression on the boys. I explained that eggshells are made up of elements that are similar to human teeth. We talked about how teeth are coated in a natural enamel. I explained that proper brushing and flossing helps to keep the enamel intact, so that it can protect our teeth from decay. We looked at some pretty gross pictures online of tooth decay and gum disease. The boys were revolted by the pictures. We broke an eggshell in half, washed it out and dried it. Then, I sprayed one half with an enamel sealant and let it dry. A few hours later, we set both eggshell halves into a dish of vinegar, which represented the acid that forms from plaque buildup on your teeth.
This morning, we looked at the eggshells, and even I was shocked at how much the vinegar had eaten away at the shell that was not protected.
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