It’s common for our teeth to be the shining star of our oral health, but it is our gums that can really steal the show. Our gums are the protectors of our teeth, keeping out bacteria from invading the parts of our teeth that are not exposed and insulating our teeth allows us to enjoy a cold milkshake without any discomfort – YUM!

Kids are designing their own models of gums and teeth out of everyday materials to evaluate how different models stack up when we’re chewing up foods like carrots and crackers. Seeing what happens when our “teeth” are crunchin’ is providing real-world context for how gums provide stability to our teeth!

By creating the intense conditions that happen all the time inside of our mouths, like drinking hot chocolate or brushing our teeth with toothpaste, kids are exploring the other essential functions of gums. Just like real gums, kids’ models perform important jobs, such as naturally sealing teeth to protect them from bacterial invasions, as well as insulating our teeth’s pain receptors from extreme temperatures.