Saliva Production

Experiment #1
Quantitative Lab

Submitted by: Team Plaque-inators

Research: According to the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tooth decay affects more than one fourth of U.S. children aged 2 -5, and half of those aged 12-15 years.

Objective: To determine if sugarless gum increases saliva production. Hypothesis: If saliva flow can be increased by chewing sugarless gum after meals, then acids in the mouth will be neutralized, reducing plaque build-up. Materials: Graduated cylinders, funnels, sugarless gum, timer Procedure: 1. Participants rinse mouth with water. 2. Sit quietly and let saliva build up. 3. Participants directed to spit into a funnel every 30 seconds, for 5 minutes 4. Collect data. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4, this time participants will chew sugarless gum.

Data: Saliva Production Lab- Data table #1 Participant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Male or Female Male Male Male Male Female Female Female Female Female Male Male Male Male Female Female Female Female 5 minutes no gum (mL) 4 3 5 4 3 7 5 2 4 3 3 8 4 2 2 3 5 5 minutes with gum (mL) 14 15 10 13 13 18 15 9 15 17 9 16 7 10 5 10 15 Cavities Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No

Saliva Production Lab-Data Table #2

Participant Male or Female 5 Min.No Gum 2 ml 2 ml 3 ml 5 Min.with Gum 10 ml 7 ml Cavities Notes

1 2 3

Female Male Female

Yes Yes Yes Called for dismissal

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Male Male Female Female Female Female Female Female Female Female Female Male Male Male Male Male

5 ml 6 ml 7 ml 6 ml 5 ml 3 ml 2 ml 3 ml 4 ml 3 ml 2 ml 4 ml 3 ml 7 ml 2 ml -

19 ml 10 ml 14 ml 20 ml 17 ml 14 ml 5 ml 8 ml 9 ml 13 ml 9 ml 6 ml 19 ml 12 ml -

Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No spilled experiment dumped dumped dumped Allergic to gum

20 21 22

Male Male Male

2 ml 4 ml 6 ml

Yes Yes No

Saliva Production Lab- Data Table #3 Participant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Male or Female Female Female Female Female Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Female Female Female Female Female Female 5 minutes no gum ( mL) 6 5 2 3 9 9 5 8 8 7 11 19 8 8 6 8 9 4 7 5 minutes with gum (mL) 5 10 5 15 15 25 6 16 13 20 31 11 20 15 25 15 20 10 19 Cavities Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Yes No No No Yes No No Yes No No No

Saliva Production Lab Data Table #4

Participant Male or Female Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Male Female Female Female Female 5 minutes No gum (mL) 5 4 3 1 2 1 1 3 2 4 2 2 1 2 5minutes With gum (mL) 13 16 13 11 10 8 10 8 10 14 16 13 12 11 Cavities

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Conclusion:

Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes

The saliva flow of 97% of the students, who participated in our experiment, increased while chewing sugarless gum. Based on our experimental results we conclude that chewing sugarless gum after meals increased saliva flow in most people.