Irregular dental hygiene and a high sugar diet may led to tooth decay. Why?

Question

A.  Bacteria consume calcium.
B.  Lactic acid fermentation is used to generate ATP under anaerobic conditions.
C.  Plaque degrades the tooth's protective mucosal layers.
D.  Glucose forms a weak acid when dissolved in saliva.
E.  High concentrations of sugar soften the tooth enamel.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about teeth? How does it relate to the question?
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
 
Choose Answer
        · Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

B.  Lactic acid fermentation is used to generate ATP under anaerobic conditions.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o Based on what you know about tooth decay and plaque, explain why how forgetting to brush your teeth and eating lots of sweets can cause tooth decay.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is an “apply” question. Use your knowledge about two different concepts (teeth and bacteria) to answer the question.
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about teeth? How does it relate to the question?
        o Teeth are made of a soft, inner core with nerves and a hard outer shell made of enamel. Tooth decay happens when holes form in the enamel, exposing the soft matrix and nerves to the environment.
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Dental plaque is a biofilm made of a variety of bacteria. These bacteria secrete a polysaccharide to glue them to the surface and protect them from the environment. This polysaccharide layer also means that the bacteria closest to the tooth have to do cellular respiration without oxygen. How do cells do cellular respiration without oxygen? What is produced instead of carbon dioxide?
        o How is plaque affected by brushing or eating sweets?
 
Choose Answer
        · Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
            o Try to answer the question as if it were a short-answer question. Now, look at the options. Do any of them match your answer?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to explain why forgetting to brush your teeth and eating foods with a lot of sugar can lead to tooth decay. This is discussed in section 28.5 of the text.
        o If you got the correct answer, great job!
        o If you got an incorrect answer, where did you get stuck?
            · Did you remember that sugar itself does not cause cavities? This is a popular misconception. The sugar increases the activity of the bacteria, because they have lots of sugar to eat. These bacteria break down the sugar using anaerobic respiration, which produces lactic acid. This acid breaks down the enamel.