HOW DIFFERENT

DRINKS STAIN YOUR

TEETH
TURNER 1.3 MH

QUESTION

MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT

DRINK STAINS TEETH THE
MOST AND WHAT DOES THE
EFFECT OF TOOTHPASTE
HAVE ON THE STAINS?

ABSTRACT
HOW DIFFERENT DRINKS STAIN YOUR TEETH
MATTHEW DONG
MILWEE MIDDLE SCHOOL
LONGWOOD, FLORIDA
MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT DRINK STAINS TEETH THE MOST AND WHAT DOES THE EFFECT OF
TOOTHPASTE HAVE ON THE STAINS? THE PURPOSE OF MY EXPERIMENT WAS TO OBSERVE THE
DEGREE OF STAINING ON HUMAN TEETH AND HOW TOOTHPASTE AFFECTED IT. MY EXPERIMENT
WOULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT MY OWN TEETH AND POSSIBLY HELP OTHERS WHO
ARE INTERESTED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. MY HYPOTHESES ARE: IF I PLACE EGGSHELLS IN
COFFEE, TEA, FRUIT JUICE, AND COKE, THEN THE EGGSHELLS IN COFFEE WILL HAVE THE MOST
STAINS BECAUSE COFFEE'S ACID AND THE SUGAR MIXED WITH MOUTH BACTERIA IS THE MOST
HARMFUL TO TEETH, AND, IF I BRUSH HALF OF THE EGGSHELLS IN EACH BEVERAGE USING
TOOTHPASTE EVERY DAY, THEN THE EGGSHELLS IN COKE WILL BE THE CLEANEST BECAUSE COKE
IS THE LEAST ACIDIC OUT OF ALL THE OTHER DRINKS. I USED TWENTY-EIGHT EGGSHELLS

ABSTRACT (CONTINUED)
AND PLACED SEVEN INTO EACH OF THE DRINKS I WAS USING. THREE OUT OF
SEVEN EGGSHELLS WOULD BE SUBMERGED IN THE BEVERAGE THE WHOLE TIME.
ANOTHER THREE OUT OF THE FOUR REMAINING EGGSHELLS WOULD BE
BRUSHED EVERY TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. THE FINAL EGGSHELL WOULD BE
BRUSHED EVERY TWELVE HOURS. AFTER ONE WEEK, THE EGGSHELLS THAT
HADNT BEEN BRUSHED WERE RINSED WITH WATER. SINCE IT IS TOO DIFFICULT
TO DETERMINE OR COMPARE THE DEGREE OF STAINING OF THE EGGSHELLS WITH
EACH OTHER, ITS HARD TO ACTUALLY DETERMINE THE RESULTS. THE RESULTS
ARE DISPLAYED IN THE FORM OF PICTURES. I CAN CONCLUDE, THOUGH, THAT
DARKER DRINKS TEND TO CAUSE DARKER STAINS.

HYPOTHESIS
MY HYPOTHESES ARE, IF I PLACE EGGSHELLS
IN COFFEE, TEA, FRUIT JUICE, AND COKE, THEN
THE EGGSHELLS IN COFFEE WILL HAVE THE
MOST STAINS BECAUSE COFFEE'S ACID AND THE
SUGAR MIXED WITH MOUTH BACTERIA IS THE
MOST HARMFUL TO TEETH, AND, IF I BRUSH
HALF OF THE EGGSHELLS IN EACH BEVERAGE
USING TOOTHPASTE EVERY DAY, THEN THE
EGGSHELLS IN COKE WILL BE THE CLEANEST
BECAUSE COKE IS THE LEAST ACIDIC OUT OF
ALL THE OTHER DRINKS.

PROCEDURE

1.

GATHER YOUR MATERIALS.

2.

PLACE 0.0762 M OF TAPE ONTO THE SIDE OF EACH CONTAINER. LABEL EACH CONTAINER WITH A MARKER
OR SHARPIE AS FOLLOWS: COFFEE (A) FOR THE CONTAINER THAT WILL CONTAIN COFFEE, TEA (B)
FOR THE CONTAINER THAT WILL CONTAIN TEA, JUICE (C) FOR THE CONTAINER THAT WILL CONTAIN
GRAPE JUICE, AND COKE (D) FOR THE CONTAINER THAT WILL CONTAIN DIET COKE.

3.

SET UP THE CONTAINERS ON TOP OF A FLAT, STEADY SURFACE BY PLACING THE CONTAINERS SIDE BY
SIDE.

4.

MARK THE EGGSHELLS AS FOLLOWS: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5,
C6, C7, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, AND D7.

5.

TO MAKE THE BASES THAT WILL HOLD THE EGGSHELLS IN THE CONTAINER, USE A PIECE OF ALUMINUM
FOIL AND MAKE A CIRCULAR SUPPORT, WHICH GOES AROUND THE EGG, WITH FOUR LEGS TO HOLD THE
EGG IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. REPEAT AND MAKE A TOTAL OF TWENTY-EIGHT BASES.

6.

SLOWLY POUR 0.000355 CUBIC METERS OF COFFEE INTO THE COFFEE (A) CONTAINER, 0.000355 CUBIC
METERS OF TEA INTO THE TEA (B) CONTAINER, 0.000355 CUBIC METERS OF GRAPE JUICE INTO THE
JUICE (C) CONTAINER, AND 0.000355 CUBIC METERS OF COKE INTO THE COKE (D) CONTAINER.

7.

PLACE SEVEN BASES INTO EACH DRINK WITH THE FOUR LEGS FACING DOWN INTO THE BEVERAGE.

8.

PROCEDURE (CONTINUED)

PLACE EGGSHELLS A1-A7 GENTLY INTO THE BASES IN THE COFFEE (A) CONTAINER; PLACE
EGGSHELLS B1-B7 GENTLY INTO THE BASES IN THE TEA (B) CONTAINER; PLACE EGGSHELLS C1-C7
GENTLY INTO THE BASES IN THE JUICE (C) CONTAINER; AND PLACE EGGSHELLS D1-D7 GENTLY
INTO THE BASES IN THE COKE (D) CONTAINER.

9.

EVERY 12 HOURS, TAKE OUT EGGSHELLS A7, B7, C7, AND D7 TO BRUSH. EVERY 24 HOURS, BRUSH
EGGSHELLS A1-A3, B1-B3, C1-C3, AND D1-D3 (ALONG WITH A7, 7, C7, AND D7) WITH TOOTHPASTE. THE
OTHER EGGSHELLS WILL NOT BE BRUSHED WITH TOOTHPASTE. THEY WILL REMAIN IN THE
CONTAINER THE WHOLE TIME. REPEAT STEP 9 FOR 168 HOURS.

10. EVERY 24 HOURS, TAKE OUT ALL THE EGGSHELLS AND PLACE THEM ON PAPER TOWELS. EMPTY OUT
THE BEVERAGE IN EACH CONTAINER, RINSE THE CONTAINER WITH TAP WATER, DRY IT OFF, AND
THEN REFILL EACH CONTAINER WITH .000355 CUBIC METERS FOR THE CORRESPONDING DRINK.
REPEAT STEP 10 FOR 168 HOURS.
11. AFTER 168 HOURS, RINSE EGGSHELLS A4-6, B4-B6, C4-C6, AND D4-D6 GENTLY WITH WATER.
12. EACH TIME AFTER YOU BRUSH THE EGGSHELLS, TAKE PICTURES AND RECORD YOUR
OBSERVATIONS. AFTER ONE WEEK (168 HOURS), RECORD YOUR FINAL RESULTS.

MATERIALS
1.) TWENTY-EIGHT EXTRA LARGE SIMILAR-SIZED WHITE
EGGSHELLS
2.) FOUR 0.0015 CUBIC METER GLASS CONTAINERS
3.) 0.002485 CUBIC METERS OF COFFEE
4.) 0.002485CUBIC METERS OF GREEN TEA
5.) 0.002485 CUBIC METERS OF GRAPE-APPLE JUICE
6.) 0.002485 CUBIC METERS OF DIET COKE
7.) ONE CREST COMPLETE MULTI-BENEFIT EXTRA WHITENING AND
SCOPE TOOTHPASTE
8.) ONE REGULAR STANDARD SIZED TOOTHBRUSH
9.) TAP WATER
10.) STANDARD SIZED MULTIPURPOSE SCISSORS
11.) CLEAR TAPE
12.) ONE BLACK SHARPIE OR MARKER
13.) ONE SHEET OF LINED NOTEBOOK PAPER
14.) ONE NO. 2 PENCIL OR PEN
15.) ONE ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS
16.) ALUMINUM FOIL
17.) CAMERA/MOBILE DEVICE WITH CAMERA

EXPERIMENT

Refer
en
Eggsh ce
el l

After
72
Hours

A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6

After
48
Hours

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6
D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
D6
A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
B7
B6

B1 B2

B3

B4

B5

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6
D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
D6

Refer
en
Eggsh ce
el l

B7 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

After
96
Hours

Refer
en
Eggsh ce
el l

Refer
ence
Eggsh
el l

After
24
Hours

A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
B7 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6
D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
D6
A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
B7 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6
D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
D6

EXPERIMENT (CONTINUED)

Refer
en
Eggsh ce
ell

After
168
Hours

A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
B7 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6
D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
D6
A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
B7
B6

B1 B2

B3

B4

B5

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6
D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
D6

After
144
Hours

Refer
ence
Eggsh
e ll

Refer
en
Eggsh ce
ell

After
120
Hours

A7 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6
B7 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

C7 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6

D7 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
Note: InD6
each picture, eggshells A7, A1, A2,
A3, B7, B1, B2, B3, C7, C1, C2, C3, D7,
D1, D2, and D3 were brushed using
toothpaste. The leftmost center eggshell is a
reference egg.
After 168 hours, eggshells A4, A5, A6, B4,
B5, B6, C4, C5, C6, D4, D5, and D6 were
rinsed with water.

RESULTS AND DATA*

Eggshell
Group

After 24
Hours

After 48
Hours

After 72
Hours

After 96
Hours

After
120
Hours

Eggshell
A
Coffee

-Light
-Clean
-Easier to
Brush

-Light
-Clean
-Easy to
Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Easy to
Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Hard to
Brush

-Darker
-Stained
-Hard to
Brush

Eggshell
B
Tea

-Lighter
-Cleaner
-Easier to
Brush

-Light
-Light
-Dark
-Dark
-Clean
-Stained -Stained -Stained
-Easier to -Easier to -Easier to -Easier to
Brush
Brush
Brush
Brush

Eggshell
C
Juice

-Lightest
-Cleanest
-Easiest
to Brush

-Lightest
-Cleaner
-Easiest
to Brush

-Lighter
-Clean
-Easier to
Brush

-Lighter
-Clean
-Easy to
Brush

Eggshell
D
Coke

-Lighter
-Cleaner
-Easier to
Brush

-Light
-Clean
-Easier to
Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Easy to
Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Easy to
Brush

*Qualitative data was used in this experiment.

After 144 After 168

Hours
Hours
-Darker
-Stained
-Harder to
Brush

-Darkest
-Stained
-Harder
to Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Easy to
Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Hard to
Brush

-Light
-Clean
-Hard to
Brush

-Dark
-Stained
-Harder to
Brush

-Darker
-Stained
-Hardest
to Brush

-Darker
-Stained
-Hard to
Brush

-Darker
-Stained
-Hard to
Brush

-Darker
-Stained
-Hard to
Brush

CONCLUSION

MY SCIENCE FAIR QUESTION WAS, WHAT DRINK STAINS TEETH THE MOST AND WHAT DOES THE
EFFECT OF TOOTHPASTE HAVE ON THE STAINS? FROM MY RESULTS, I FOUND OUT THAT COFFEE
CAUSED THE MOST STAINS AND TOOTHPASTE HAD THE LEAST EFFECT ON IT. EGGSHELLS IN
COFFEE HAD THE DARKEST STAINS AFTER SITTING IN THE BEVERAGE FOR 168 HOURS COMPARED
TO TEA, JUICE, AND COKE. ALTHOUGH COKE HAD SLIGHTLY DARKER EGGSHELLS (D4-D6), ONE OF
THE EGGSHELLS (D4) WAS A LOT LIGHTER THAN THE OTHER TWO ALSO SUBMERGED FOR 168
HOURS. SINCE THE COKE EGGSHELLS WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER, COFFEE
BECAME THE NUMBER ONE DRINK TO CAUSE THE MOST STAINS. COFFEE DIDNT CONTAIN THE
MOST ACID, BUT DUE TO ITS COLORING, IT CAUSED THE MOST STAINS. COFFEE EGGSHELLS WERE
THE HARDEST TO BRUSH AND TOOTHPASTE HAD THE MOST EFFECT ON COKE EGGSHELLS AND
FRUIT JUICE EGGSHELLS. THE GRAPE-APPLE JUICE ACTUALLY HAD THE MOST ACID, SO IT CAUSED
THE MOST DAMAGE IN TERMS OF EGGSHELL THICKNESS. THE CITRIC ACID ATE AWAY AT THE
CALCIUM OF THE JUICE EGGSHELLS, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO DEFORM AND LOSE THEIR
THICKNESS. SPEAKING OF JUICE, SOMETHING PECULIAR HAPPENED TO THE FRUIT JUICE

CONCLUSION (CONTINUED)
EGGSHELLS DURING 168 HOURS. A CHEMICAL REACTION FORMED FROM THE FRUIT JUICE
AND CALCIUM AND OTHER MINERALS IN THE EGGSHELLS. THIS CAUSED A THIN LAYER, OR
FILM, OF A MOIST AND BROWN SUBSTANCE TO FORM ON THE EGGSHELLS WHILE THEY
WERENT BRUSHED. THE LAYER WAS EASY TO REMOVE WITH TOOTHPASTE, BUT THE
CHEMICAL REACTION CAUSED THE JUICE EGGSHELLS TO BECOME THINNER AND MORE
FRAGILE. EGGSHELLS CONTAIN CALCIUM AND WHEN IT REACTS WITH ACETIC ACID,
CARBON DIOXIDE IS FORMED, WHICH IS WHY THERE ARE BUBBLES IN SOME OF THE
PICTURES WITH JUICE EGGSHELLS. PROBLEMS OCCURRED IN BRUSHING THEM, SINCE THEY
WERE SO THIN AND FRAGILE, SO THEREFORE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF FORCE AND
PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THEM WHEN BRUSHING. MY HYPOTHESIS WAS SUPPORTED
BECAUSE IN MY RESULTS, COFFEE CAUSED THE MOST STAINS AND WAS THE LEAST
AFFECTED BY TOOTHPASTE FOR THE REASONS ABOVE. THEREFORE, I RECOMMEND TO
OTHERS TO RINSE THEIR MOUTH WITH WATER AFTER DRINKING ONE OF THESE BEVERAGES.

WORKS CITED

"COFFEE AND YOUR TEETH." COFFEE AND YOUR TEETH. 19 JUNE 2014. WEB. 13 SEPT. 2015.

<HTTP://WWW.JEFFERSONDENTALCLINICS.COM/BLOG.HTML/2014/06/19/COFFEE-AND-YOUR-TEETH/>
GOLDBLATT, ANNA, SHERIDAN SAMBERSON, AND NICKI DIAMOND. EGGSTRA HEALTHY TEETH. EGGSTRA HEALTHY TEETH. 1
MAR. 2013. WEB. 16 SEPT. 2015 <HTTP://WWW.DRUGABUSE.GOV/EGGSTRA-HEALTHY-TEETH>
LEEUW, WILHEMINA, ANTOINETTE METIVIER, AND KIMBERLY BLAND. "DENTAL CARE." DENTAL ANATOMY: A REVIEW. WEB. 12 SEPT.
2015. <HTTP://WWW.DENTALCARE.COM/EN-US/DENTAL-EDUCATION/CONTINUING-EDUCATION/CE421/CE421.ASPX?
MODULENAME=COURSECONTENT&PARTID =2&SECTIONID=-1>
MARTEN, TED. "HOW DOES COFFEE AFFECT YOUR TEETH?" EHOW. DEMAND MEDIA. WEB. 18 SEPT. 2015.
<HTTP://WWW.EHOW.COM/INFO_8777393_COFFEE-AFFECT-TEETH.HTML>
REISDORF, BILL. RE: HOW ARE TEETH SIMILAR TO EGGSHELLS? RE: HOW ARE TEETH SIMILAR TO EGGSHELLS? 20 MAY 1997. WEB. 12
SEPT. 2015 <HTTP://WWW.MADSCI.ORG/POSTS/ARCHIVES/1997-05/864330165.OT.R.HTML>
RULES FOR ALL PROJECTS. STUDENT SCIENCE. N.P., N.D. WEB. 25 AUG.2015. <HTTPS://STUDENT.SOCIETYFORSCIENCE.ORG/RULESALL-PROJECTS>
WOUDSTRA, WENDY. "HOW DOES COFFEE STAIN TEETH?" HOW DOES COFFEE STAIN TEETH? 2015. WEB. 17 SEPT. 2015.
<HTTP://WWW.COLGATE.COM/EN/US/OC/ORAL-HEALTH/COSMETIC-DENTISTRY/TEETH-WHITENING/ARTICLE/ SW-281474979067209>