TEENS TAKE ON TOOTH DECAY.Byline: Jennifer Radcliffe Staff Writer While smacking smack·ing adj. Brisk; vigorous; spanking: a smacking breeze. Noun 1. smacking - the act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand slap, smack gum usually draws frowns from health advocates, about 100 Sunny Brae brae n. Scots A hillside; a slope. [Middle English bra, from Old Norse br Elementary students found themselves under orders to start chewing earlier this school year. Dentist's orders, that is. As part of a study by Viewpoint High School sisters Dominique and Gabrielle Massoth, the Canoga Park youngsters chewed gum that contained xylitol xylitol /xy·li·tol/ (zi´li-tol) a five-carbon sugar alcohol derived from xylose and as sweet as sucrose; used as a noncariogenic sweetener and also as a sugar substitute in diabetic diets. , a substance found to significantly reduce the bacteria that causes tooth decay Tooth Decay Definition Tooth decay, which is also called dental cavities or dental caries, is the destruction of the outer surface (enamel) of a tooth. . The siblings' research was so impressive that it landed older sister Dominique the honor last month of being the first high school student ever to present findings at the International Association of Dental Research's annual conference. ``It was really a learning experience,'' the 17-year-old junior said. ``The kids were very cooperative and they also liked the gum.'' The sisters' parents are both dentists, helping guide the project and give it the credibility to be conducted on a Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. campus. Dee Apodaca, an LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) nursing coordinator, said she was thrilled to partner with the private dental industry to teach kids about oral health. ``I thought it was a very positive project,'' she said. On the other hand, some things never change: The students weren't allowed to chew the gum at school. Jennifer Radcliffe, (818) 713-3722 jennifer.radcliffe(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Sisters Gabrielle, left, and Dominique Massoth used chewing gum to conduct a study earlier this year among elementary-school students to test the efficacy of xylitol, a substance that helps fight bacteria that causes tooth decay. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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