Today my mom and I went to the dentist’s office, where we had to have our annual checkup. The office was near MRT Xinyi Anhe (信義安和) Station, so it was relatively near to our home.
When it was Mom’s turn for the dentist, the doctor did something very surprising – he taught me some dentistry science! I learned a lot today from his teaching, and this is science in real life! The dentist showed me some small black rocks called “calculus” or “dental tartar” that he removed from my mom’s teeth. He explained these scientific facts:
- The calculus is originated from a plaque on the teeth, and it is a mixture of calcium and citric acid. Calculus is also not only a math subject, it is a hard rock that can sit on cavities and teeth for a long time.
- In addition, redness in the gum occurs when you brush your teeth too hard, which causes hypertension in the blood vessels. Hypertension is also the cause of many yellowed teeth as you age.
It turns out Mom has a little cavity in the back, but it is a little one compared to Dad’s huge ones. Dad’s teeth are much worse than ours 😢
While the dentist was cleaning Mom’s teeth I also got a good look at her mouth, and the dentist explained a lot of science that is going on in the teeth. Thank you doctor for teaching me a lot today! 😜