Question

Toothpaste for cleaning the teeth can neutralize the excess acid and prevent
A.Hair decay
B.Tooth decay
C.Gum decay
D.Muscle decay

Answer 1

Hint: To answer this question, you should recall the concept of tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when the pH of the mouth falls below $5.5$ . The enamel of the tooth is made up of calcium phosphate is the hardest substance in the body.

Complete step by step answer:
The process of tooth decay initiates when the pH of the mouth is lower than $5.5$ . Bacteria which are present in the mouth produce different degrading acids by modification of food particles containing sugar and remain in the mouth after eating. Acidic conditions produced in the mouth leads to teeth decay, plaque and cavities.
Thus, to prevent such problems there is a need to neutralize the acidic conditions in the mouth and hence, toothpaste often contains weak alkali to neutralize the acidic conditions in the mouth.
Hence, toothpaste for cleaning teeth can neutralise excess acid and prevent tooth decay.

Therefore, the correct answer to this question is option B.

Note:
Tooth decay causes enamel and dentine to gradually weaken. It begins when acids are formed by bacteria acting on sugars that soften or demineralize the enamel. In addition to food particles, masses of bacterial cells bind to the teeth to form dental plaque. Since plaque coats the teeth, saliva cannot reach the tooth layer to neutralize the acid. Upon eating, brushing the teeth removes the plaque before acids are formed by the bacteria. The primary focus should be on decreasing the bacterial load in the mouth if you want to prevent tooth decay. Brushing and flossing remove on the teeth the sticky bacteria accumulation. When used with brushing and flossing, an antimicrobial mouth rinse is effective at reducing bacteria in the mouth.