Problem to be Solved:
Which substance is best for cleaning teeth? Will the more expensive cleaning agents be the most effective for removing stains?
Hypothesis:
The baking soda, salt, hydrogen peroxide, and water will be the best stain remover (and the least expensive) because they are all good cleaning substances.
Procedure:
I will soak and stain 60 tiles for 2 days. Twelve tiles will soak
in each of the following substances: cola, coffee, grape juice, tea, and
spaghetti sauce. I will clean each tile with Crest (regular paste);
Rembrandt ( a whitening toothpaste with peroxide); Mentadent (fluoride
toothpaste with baking soda and peroxide); Formula #1: 2 Tbs. baking soda,
1/2 tsp. hydrogen peroxide, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp. water; Formula
#2: three parts baking soda, one part salt, 3 tbs. glycerin, 10-20 drops
wintergreen and just enough water to make it "toothpastey".
I will brush half of each tile with 25 strokes. Two tiles will be
used with the same cleanser for each stain. One quarter tsp. of
cleanser will be used for each tile. Each cleanser will also be used
on an unstained tile.
Results:
Cleanness Based on a Dental Rating Scale
|
Rembrandt |
Plus and White |
Crest |
Mentadent |
Formula #1 |
Formula #2 |
|
Tea |
1st |
3rd |
2nd |
6th |
4th |
5th |
|
Coffee |
1st |
tie/3rd |
5th |
4th |
2nd |
tie/3rd |
|
Grape Juice |
1st |
4th |
2nd |
3rd |
5th |
6th |
|
Coke |
1st |
tie/2nd |
tie/3rd |
tie/2nd |
tie/3rd |
4th |
|
Spaghetti Sauce |
1st |
2nd |
tie/4th |
3rd |
tie/4th |
tie/4th |
|
Total |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
tie/4th |
tie/4th |
5th |
|
Conclusion:
My hypothesis was wrong. I thought that baking soda, salt,
hydrogen peroxide, and the water would be the best stain remover, but I
found out the Rembrandt was the best stain remover. It is also the
most expensive. If a person wants whiter teeth and is not concerned
about the cost, then Rembrandt would be the best choice. I never
found out if the stain removing ingredients in the various toothpastes are
safe for our teeth. Could any of them be harsh on enamel?
Rembrandt was the most expensive, and it cleaned teeth very well.
Formula #1 was very inexpensive, but it did not clean teeth as well as
Rembrandt.
Biblical Application:
Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
This verse means to purify someone from their sins. Snow is a
picture of purity. When teeth are dirty, their whiteness is covered,
but when the impurities on teeth are removed, the whiteness on the teeth
are revealed.
|