Mackensie enjoys playing soccer and lacrosse, and she's involved in her church youth group. She'd like to pursue a career in medicine because "the world of medical technology continues to explode with new developments."
Mackensie became interested in what factors contribute to tooth decay after seeing chewing gums that claim to protect teeth from cavities. She wondered whether solutions with calcium ions, phosphate ions, or both might protect teeth once they've been exposed to an acidic solution that mimics saliva after sugar consumption. Both calcium and phosphate ions are present in saliva and are known to replenish mineral reserves in teeth.
Using individual loose teeth, Mackensie exposed each tooth to a different acidic solution: one containing calcium ions, another with phosphate ions, a third with calcium and phosphate ions, and a fourth solution with no calcium or phosphate ions. Teeth in the solution with calcium and phosphate ions were protected from demineralization, but teeth soaked in the other solutions lost significant amounts of minerals.
