SupertoothTM Teacher's Plaque WatchTM Tooth Care Skill Kit
About YNDK * Contact us * Research * Teachers Plaque Watch Tooth Care Skill Kit * Instructions for Kit Make glass model of a groove in a tooth
The glass model seen at bottom left has a V shaped teflon strip from the roll, between two strip of glass clipped together by a paper clip. It shows how food is trapped in grooves and changed to acid. It is easy to make and one is included with foam strips in the Supertooth Kit
The foam strip on the right has outer cup shaped half cells that fill with fluid, food or toothpaste and force the contents inside the V space at the end of the glass model simulating the chewing process showing how food is trapped while chewing every meal or snack.
There is a Supertooth container of toothpaste tablet gum that is used when chewing the dental foam after wiping the plaque stained with food dye from gum margins like a brush and flossing between teeth showing how the cell walls scour tooth surfaces to remove plaque from and from between teeth like floss and from inside grooves on chewing surfaces like and food.
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The glass model of a fissure in a tooth is two strips of glass that sandwich a white teflon gasket that forms a pocket open at each end and clamped together by a strong paper clip.
You can see on the the left a series of glass containers that simulate chewing different foods and the effect fibre has on chewing foods with or without the help of the chewy foam fibre.
The toothbrush bristles are compared to the soft chewy fibre of the dental foam strip showing the cell wall edges outlined with food dye. A drop of food dye is placed on the foam so students can paint the dye onto teeth to see plaque at gum margins.
One end of the glass model is seen being forced into green food dye and dental foam cells that force the dye inside the glass model of a fissure under simulated chewing pressure.
The toothbrush cannot remove the food dye but chewing fibre and toothpaste forces the paste inside the groove to replace the food dye.
However it is hard to remove the toothpaste and like some sugarless foods that are hard to remove, the toothpaste can seal grooves and prevent acid attack while eating.
This is confirmed by chewing Barium Sulphate with the foam strip before a dental xray of back teeth which shows where food is trapped while eating and how difficult it is to remove.
Celery is the best health food to clean teeth after eating as can be seen in the Plaque Watch School Project.
Almost all cavities occur between teeth and inside grooves on chewing surfaces.
Teachers, dentists and hygienists find the Supertooth Plaque Watch School Project easy to demonstrate how 80% of cavities occur inside grooves where the brush cannot reach.
Plaque grows at gum margins between teeth and inside grooves so it is important to brush with fluoride toothpaste and floss before breakfast to start the day relatively plaque free.
Chew cheese to seal grooves before eating so plaque cannot change sugar to acid.
Chew celery after eating to remove food from teeth and help saliva access to grooves and between teeth as well as gum margins to neutralise acid and repair demineralised tooth.