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Dentist
Cares for teeth, gums, and oral health; performs procedures from fillings to surgery.
Did you know?
The idea for the electric chair came from a dentist, Alfred Southwick, in 1881. He modelled it on the chairs he used for his patients.
How subjects help
- Biology: Spot the germs that cause tooth decay and gum disease before they do real damage.
- Chemistry: Pick filling materials that harden in the mouth and bond tightly to the tooth.
- Anatomy: Know where the nerves in the jaw run so a numbing injection works without harm.
- Art & Design: Shape and colour match a crown so it looks just like the patient's real teeth.
A famous name
Pierre Fauchard: French surgeon called the father of modern dentistry; his 1728 book described how to treat teeth.
Try it yourself: Stain and scrub an egg like a tooth
- Put one egg in a cup of cola and one in a cup of water or milk. The shell is like the enamel on your teeth.
- Guess what will happen, write your guess down and leave the cups overnight.
- Next day, lift the eggs out and compare their colours.
- Brush the stained egg gently in small circles with toothpaste for two minutes. How much of the stain comes off? (Do not eat the eggs afterwards.)
Dentists and dental hygienists polish away stains and plaque, and show patients how drinks and brushing change their teeth.
Adapted from Delta Dental: Egg-citing Experiment.
Also try: Look closer: kitchen powders.
Known for it in
USA, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Denmark