Plaque pH · 6am to 10pm
Enamel dissolves below pH 5.5. Every time something is eaten, plaque acid drops the mouth under that line and keeps it there until saliva claws it back. What matters isn't how much sugar goes in — it's how many separate times the clock starts.
Same smoothie, same sugar. Drag it and watch the shaded area move — this is the whole lesson in one control.
What this is. A teaching model of the Stephan curve — the real, well-documented pH drop that follows eating. The shape is right; the exact minutes are illustrative, not measurements of your kids' mouths. Individual depth depends on saliva flow, plaque load, fluoride exposure and what else is on the plate. What it can't show: brushing at night with fluoride toothpaste, sealants on the back molars, and flossing where the molars touch. Those often matter more than the schedule. Bring this to the dentist as a conversation starter, not a diagnosis.