Which Soft Drink is the Worst for Your Teeth?

Dental Health Science Fair Project
Photo © 2006 Flickr, Rex Sorgatz

We've all heard that consuming too much soda (or pop) can be detrimental to our health. Whether it's the high sugar levels, aspartame, dyes, acidity, etc. - there are numerous reasons why soft drinks have gotten a bad rap. Did you know that soft drinks have emerged as one of the most significant dietary contributors to tooth decay? The acid (among other things) works to erode tooth enamel and can lead to more cavities/decay. This project from Education.com - Look Ma! No Teeth! - will help upper elementary students explore which soft drink is actually the worst for your teeth! 

Now don't get too excited - this project doesn't give testers free reign to drink as much soda as they want. Students will actually observe how their favorite soft drinks affect granulated limestone - tying the pH levels of the drinks to any decay observed in the limestone samples.

For the full project details - including research questions, materials needed, project procedure, etc. - be sure to visit Education.com!

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