The hypothesis is that there will be greater amounts of bacteria on dental retainers if they are worn without being regularly brushed with toothpaste.

You will prepare 12 Petri dishes of agar, have 4 participants wear their dental retainers continuously for 24 hours without brushing their teeth, brush their teeth with toothpaste, rinse with mouthwash, and measure the size of bacteria growth using a ruler.

You will need 12 agar Petri dishes, 12 disinfected swabs, 1 bottle of disinfected water, 4 toothbrushes, sterile gloves, 4 participants who use dental retainers, 4 cups of water, 1 tube of toothpaste, 1 bottle of mouthwash, 1 marker pen and writing material.

The results showed that regular teeth brushing with toothpaste is able to reduce the amount of bacteria growth in the dental retainer. Mouthwash also reduces bacteria growth on the dental retainer, but is not as effective as brushing with toothpaste.

This science project is interesting because it shows how important it is to brush your teeth and dental retainers regularly in order to maintain good dental hygiene.

Variations of this experiment could include testing different brands of toothpaste and mouthwash to see which are more effective, or varying the time allowed for the bacteria to grow.

Hey there! Here are some awesome videos about this science project that we think you'll really like. They're not only super fun, but they'll also help you learn more about the science behind the project. So sit back, relax, and get ready to have some fun!!