Why are children often told that if they eat too much candy their teeth will fall out?

Question

A.  Sugar attacks tooth enamel.
B.  Sugars gradually replace the tooth enamel.
C.  Bacteria use the sugar to make ATP. This fermentation process produces acids as a by-product.
D.  Bacteria secrete acids in order to digest the sugar molecules.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know sugars? 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

C.  Bacteria use the sugar to make ATP. This fermentation process produces acids as a by-product.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o Eating too much candy can cause you to get dental cavities. Why?
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is an “evaluate” question. You need to determine which hypothesis is the best explanation of the phenomenon you have observed.
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know sugars? How does it relate to the question?
        o Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Many sugars linked together form more complex carbohydrates such as starch or cellulose.
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o The dental plaque you brush off your teeth each night is made of biofilm, which is made of many different bacterial species. Some of these bacteria perform aerobic respiration, while others produce anaerobic respiration. What are the by-products of aerobic and anaerobic respiration?

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Cover up the options and try to answer the question as if it were a short answer question. Now, uncover the options. Do any of the options match your answer?
        o What else do you know about sugars? What else do you know about bacteria?
        o Once you’ve narrowed down your options, pick the one with the most support.
 
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 eating sugars results in tooth decay.
        o If you got the correct answer, great job!
        o If you got an incorrect answer, where did you get stuck?
            · Sugars themselves do not attack the tooth enamel. Bacteria using anaerobic respiration to consume the sugars produce lactic acid, which breaks down the enamel. Would bacteria using aerobic respiration break down your enamel?