Cavity Experiment: Making Oral Health Fun

If there’s anything we promote here, it’s that great dental habits start early. Making sure your children have developed proper brushing habits and floss each day is vital for a happy smile for the rest of their lives! However, sometimes it’s hard to get kids to really care or understand the importance of great dental health. When we visit schools, we often have kids do a cavity experiment so that they can actually see how cavities are formed and what they can do to their teeth.

Cavity Experiment

*Usually best for ages 6 and up

What you need:

• Plastic plate
• White styrofoam cup
• Syrup, candy, or anything sweet to resemble sugar
• Nail polish remover (with acetone) 

1. Draw a tooth on the Styrofoam cup, and place it on the plate with the bottom of the cup facing upward. This resembles the teeth in the mouth.
2. Have your child put the sugary substance over the top of the cup to show typical sugary foods that people like to eat. Be sure to tell your child that the bacteria in the mouth eat the same things that we do. These bacteria then create acid that erodes the teeth and causes cavities.
3. Pour a cap full of acetone (nail polish remover) over the top of the cup. The acetone should eat small holes in the cup.

This experiment is a great visual that will help your children understand the process of how cavities are produced. Plus, it makes learning about dental health all that much more fun! Our Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist can help your child develop even more healthy habits to make sure those smiles stay perfect for years to come and answer any questions you might have. Schedule an appointment to get started.

Have any other fun ways to teach your children about dental health? Share them with us!