Q61 of 270 Page 82

What damage could be caused while the pH is low?

Tooth decay starts when the pH of the mouth is lower than 5.5. Tooth enamel, made up of calcium phosphate is the hardest substance in the body. It does not dissolve in water, but is corroded when the pH in the mouth is below 5.5.

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60 A first-aid manual suggests that vinegar should be used to treat wasp stings and baking soda for bee stings.

What does this information tell you about the chemical nature of:


(a) wasp stings?


(b) bee stings?

 61 Explain why the pH in a person's mouth becomes lower after each meal. 61 How could the person change his eating habits to lessen chances of suffering from tooth decay? 62 A group of students measured the pH of some substances they found in their homes. Their results are given in the following table:


(a) What would the students have used to measure the pH?


(b) Which solution is the most acidic?


(c) Which solution is the most alkaline?


(d) Which solutions are neutral?


(e) Which solution can be used to treat wasp stings?


(f) Which solution can be used to treat bee stings?