Materials
- one lemon, orange, grapefruit, and lime
- at least five adult molars
- fifteen clear plastic cups with lids
- rubber gloves (do not handle the teeth without these on!)
- triple beam balance
Methods
- Weigh each tooth on the triple beam scale and record how many grams they weigh.
- Squeeze 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (without pulp or seeds) into a clear plastic cup.
- Squeeze 3 tablespoons of orange juice (without pulp or seeds) into a clear plastic cup.
- Squeeze 3 tablespoons of lime juice (without pulp or seeds) into a clear plastic cup.
- Squeeze 3 tablespoons of grapefruit juice (without pulp or seeds) into a clear plastic cup.
- Pour 3 tablespoons of water into a clear plastic cup.
- Place 1 molar tooth into each cup.
- Cover each cup with a lid to prevent health risk and prevent it from impacting the data. Make sure the lid is sealed on tight.
- Keep the teeth in the cups for 1 week.
- After 1 week, take the teeth out of the cups with rubber gloves.
- To remove excess liquid from the tooth, rinse the tooth under cold water, and then dry the teeth.
- Weigh each tooth on the triple beam scale and record how many grams they weigh.
- Repeat steps 2-13 for two more weeks, and change the cups for each week.
- Weigh each tooth on the triple beam scale and record how many grams they weigh.