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13th May

2005 Issue: 21

National Smile Week begins on Sunday, so say “cheese” to a ‘teeth-tastic’ issue of Hay-Wire!

Here’s what’s coming up:

  1. WEB WATCH – These websites could set your teeth on edge!
  2. THE BUZZ – Laughing animals, whatever next?
  3. SCIENCE NIBBLES – Facts to sink your teeth into.
  4. CRASH BANG – A tasty experiment for you to try at home...
  5. TUMMY TICKLERS – Finally, Hay-Wire has the last laugh with a selection of jokes...
1. WEB WATCH – Don’t surf the Internet alone...

National Smile Week begins on May 15th and runs until May 21st. It reminds us to look after our teeth so that we can all have a nice smile!

Did you know that the outside of your teeth are made from enamel? This is the strongest substance in the human body. By the time you are an adult you should have 32 teeth and you need to look after every single one of them! So why not swot up on your gnashers by visiting the following websites?

Healthy Teeth
http://www.healthyteeth.org/

On the Healthy Teeth website you’ll find lots of activities and experiments, like testing the power of fluoride or finding out about the different types of teeth. And if you’re scared of visiting the dentist, this site will hold your hand and help you through it with a virtual tour.

Colgate Kids World
http://kids-world.colgate.com/app/Kids-World/US/HomePage.cvsp

The Colgate website is ram-packed with interactive games you can play, whilst learning how to care for your teeth. Hay-Wire’s favourites are Dr Rabbit’s Toothpaste Tower, Toothman and Attack of the Plaque Monsters. Be sure to give them all a go!

Once you’ve sunk your teeth into those websites, why not share a joke or two with your pet? We’re not joking, as you’ll find out next...
2. THE BUZZ – Science news delivered to your inbox...

If you’ve ever tripped up accidentally and thought your dog was laughing at you then it probably was!

American scientists have been studying rats and they claim that the animals can laugh like humans. In experiments, the scientists say that rats responded to being tickled by giggling. But you won’t hear your pet rat let out an almighty chuckle because the animals’ laugh is more like a ‘chirp’. One scientist said, “Young rats have a marvellous sense of fun”!

Dogs and chimpanzees were also seen to make sounds like human laughter when tickled. However, many scientists would disagree with the findings because they believe that animals can’t feel humour or real emotions.

Do you think animal laughter is beyond a joke or do you think animals can really laugh? Have your say by emailing Hay-Wire at:

Hay-Wire.Clubhouse@nesta.org.uk and look out for your opinions in a future issue.
3. CRASH BANG – Exciting experiments for you to try at home...

During Smile Week, why not impress your friends with all your ‘tooth-tastic’ knowledge of teeth by telling them some of these amazing facts?

  • You can tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator because you can see a crocodile’s teeth when its mouth is shut.
  • Dogs have 42 teeth, but a mosquito has around 47 teeth!
  • When you kiss someone you pass on around 5 million bacteria. Gross!
  • The first braces were invented by Pierre Fauchard in 1728.
  • A gelotologist is a scientist who studies laughter.

So that’s fed your brain cells but now this next experiment will have your taste buds in a tangle...
4. CRASH BANG – Exciting experiments for you to try at home...

There are four main tastes that your tongue senses. These tastes are: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Different parts of your tongue sense these different tastes. This experiment will help you map out the different parts of your tongue.

You MUST ask an adult to help you with the experiment.

YOU WILL NEED:

  • Cotton buds
  • Lemon juice
  • Tonic water
  • Water mixed with a little sugar
  • Water mixed with a little salt
  • Glass of water
  • Paper and pencil

WHAT YOU DO:

  1. First, draw a rough picture of a tongue. You can mark your results on this picture.
  2. Now, take a cotton bud and dip it in the lemon juice. Touch the front, back and sides of your tongue with the cotton bud. Draw on your picture the place on your tongue where you could taste the lemon juice the most.
  3. Take a sip of water.
  4. Next, take a clean cotton bud and dip it in the tonic water. Test the front, back and sides of your tongue. Mark on your picture where you can taste the tonic water the most.
  5. Have another sip of water before you test the sugar and water. Mark your results on your picture.
  6. Lastly, test your tongue with the salt and water. Draw your results on the tongue picture.

YOU WILL NOTICE:

Not everybody’s results will be the same, but most people will taste:

  • the tonic water (a bitter taste) at the back of the tongue,
  • the lemon juice (a sour taste) on the sides near the middle and back of the tongue,
  • the sugar and water (a sweet taste) on the tip of the tongue,
  • the salt and water (a salty taste) on the sides near the front of the tongue.

Why not test your parent’s tongue using this experiment to see if your results are the same?
5. TUMMY TICKLERS – It’s the way we tell them...

Finally, get your teeth around these funny (and not so funny jokes):

Q) Why didn't the monster use toothpaste?
A) Because he said his teeth weren't loose!

Q) Why does a vampire clean his teeth three times a day?
A) To prevent bat breath!

Q) Why do you forget a tooth as soon as the dentist pulls it out?
A) Because it goes right out of your head!

Q) Why are your gran’s teeth like the stars?
A) Because they come out at night!

Q) What happened to the man who put his false teeth in backwards?
A) He ate himself!

Q) What did one tooth say to the other?
A) Get your cap on, the dentist is taking us out tonight!

Q) What's the best thing to put into a pizza?
A) Your teeth!

Q) Why did the termite eat a sofa and two chairs?
A) It had a suite tooth!

Q) What did the mouse say when his friend broke his front teeth?
A) Hard cheese!

Remember, you use 43 muscles in your face to frown and just 17 muscles to smile, so go on, give us a smile!
INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Planet Science has gone Hay-Wire and now you have too!

That’s all for this issue. The next issue of Hay-Wire will be with you in two weeks time so until then, why not ask your friends to join the Hay-Wire Club?

They can visit the Clubhouse for more details at:

http://www.planet-science.com/wired/hay-wire/clubhouse

Bye for now!

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