» You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Eating sweet foods produces acid in the mouth, which can cause tooth decay. (High acid levels are measured by low pH values)
Describe the information below and discuss the implications for dental health.
» Write at least 150 words.
Sample Answer 1
The provided line graph illustrates the acid level in the mouth which is created by consuming sweet foods specifically sugar and honey and the possibility of tooth decay because of this acid level. As is presented in the line graph, the higher the acid level the lower the pH value and a pH level less than 5.5 is detrimental to the tooth and causes the tooth decay.
The given graph shows that the initial pH level of our mouth is 7 which begins to fall after consuming sweet foods. When we eat sweet item like cane sugar, the pH level drops to 3.5 after 5 minutes and remain in danger level (below pH level 5.5) for more than 30 minutes. Consuming fruit sugar drops the pH level nearly to 4 and remains at danger level for about 20 minutes. And finally, when we eat honey, the pH level falls below 5 and it remains under risk level for about 13 minutes. As the low pH level means higher acidity and causes tooth decay, cane sugar among the mentioned three food items is the most harmful to our tooth.
(Approximately 186 words)
Sample Answer 2
The provided line graph shows the acid level of our mouth which is created by the consumption of fruit sugar, cane sugar & honey and compares their effects on our tooth decay.
When the pH level in the mouth is above 5.5, acidity remains at such a level that teeth are unlikely to be in danger from decay. Sweet foods, however, cause pH in the mouth to drop for a time, and the longer the pH levels remain below 5.5, the greater the possibility for decay to occur. The illustration compares the fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey, which are the most common ingredients of sweet foods, causes the pH level to drop below the danger level after 5 minutes.
Among these 3 sweet items, cane sugar decreases the pH level most quickly and causes to remain the level under the danger level for the longest period (over 30 minutes) and thus produce the greatest risk among the three. After consuming the cane sugar, the pH level drops to level 3.5 and remains there for over half an hour. On the other hand, fruit sugar causes the acidity level of mouth to fall under pH level 4 in 5 minutes and remains under threat level for 20 minutes. Finally, the honey appears to be less risky among the three causes the pH level to drop to 4.7 in 5 minutes and proceed to above pH 5.5 level within 15 minutes of consumption.
In conclusion, all of the sweet items possess the possibility of causing tooth decay and honey and fruit sugar are likely to cause less decay than the cane sugar does.
(Approximately 271 words)
( These 2 model answers can be followed as examples of standard answers. However, please note there are other good ways of writing a possible good answer.)
Tips for answering this Writing Task 1 Question:
1. Please note that the question asks you to “describe the information presented in the graph and also discuss the implications for dental health”. So you have to mention which food item creates the highest acid level for a longer time and are comparatively injurious to our teeth. You must classify which food items are comparatively safe as well. First, compare the three food items in terms of the acid level they create in our mouth and how long this acid level remains at danger level. Then suggest which food items among cane sugar, fruit sugar and honey are comparatively safer and which item/ items are not.
2. Notice the following trends from the given line graphs:
a) Higher the acid level, the lower the pH level.
b) pH level below 5.5 is dangerous for the tooth as the tooth decay occurs below 5.5 pH level.
c) Honey is comparatively safer than other two food items as it decreases the pH level of the mouth slowly and the acid level goes to the safe level very quickly. On the other hand, after consuming cane sugar the pH level falls under danger level quickly and remains there for the longest time among the three food items.
3. To answer this question first mention the acid / pH level which occurs the tooth decay and the level when it is safe. Now take the three given food items and mention them individually: how long it takes to reach the pH level of mouth below 5.5 after consuming this food item and then how long this level remains under 5.5. Finally, suggest which food items are comparatively safer and which are not.
Summary of the Line Graph:
After consuming different sweet food items, the acid level of our mouth increases. The higher acid level is presented by the lower pH value. When the pH value gets under 5.5, the tooth decay occurs. Among the given three food items i.e. cane sugar, fruit sugar and honey, the third item (honey) is comparatively safer for our dental health. This is because after consuming all the honey the pH level remains at danger level for about 12 minutes compared to the 20 minutes for the fruit sugar and 31 minutes for cane sugar. This also indicates that the cane sugar is more likely to damage our tooth among the provided three sweet food items.
Sample Answer 3
The bar graph illustrates the acid level of mouth after consumption of three different nutrients such as fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey over the period of forty minutes. According to the bar graph, it is obvious that cane sugar is the most acidic nutrient.
After the consumption of cane sugar, acidity level of month increased sharply in five minutes and reached 3.5 pH level. From now onwards acidity level of mouth decreases steadily and reached the normal level after thirty-five minutes. However, teeth remained at the dangerous level more than 25 minutes.
Another acidic nutrient is fruit sugar. After the consumption, the pH level of mouth decreased hurriedly and reached 4.25 in five minutes. After that, the level of acidity of month reached a normal level in 15 minutes. Therefore, teeth remained at the dangerous level for 15 minutes. The last and the least acidic nutrient is honey, after the consumption of honey acidity level of mouth increased dramatically in five minutes and reached 5 pH level and then, plateau for 5 minutes and from now onward decreased moderately. However, teeth remained in an acidic environment for 10 minutes.
To conclude, the more hazardous nutrient for teeth is cane sugar because teeth remained in an acidic environment for more than 25 minutes.
(Approximately 208 words)
Sample Answer 4
The given line graph gives information on the amount of acid produced in our mouth by eating sugar and honey made from three different resources namely fruit, sugarcane and honey. Also, the graph estimates the time taken by them to reach different acid levels which are related to the tooth decay.
The maximum level of acidity produced by sugar content is reached 5 minutes after consuming them reaching up to 3.5 pH for sugarcane, 4 pH for fruit sugar and 5 pH for honey. After this time the acidity level declines for cane and fruit sugar, whereas it is sustained for 10 minutes for honey. Honey takes approximately 15 minutes to reach the pH of 5.5. It is at this pH at which tooth decay is unlikely. Fruit sugar takes 20 minutes and cane sugar takes the maximum time to reach this safety level. After 40 minutes all three sugars reach neutral pH that is 7.
Acidity promotes tooth decay which results in teeth cavities. Proper brushing and mouth washing can eliminate sugar particles and may protect teeth from the hazards of high acid levels.
From the given data it is clear that cane sugar has the highest acidity and its acid content above safety level is sustained for the longest period in our mouth. Therefore it should be avoided. Honey is the safest sugary food which causes least chances of tooth decay.
(Approximately 230 words | Written by – Anum Faisal )
Sample Answer 5
The given line graph gives information on the acid level produced in our mouth decay after consuming fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey and compares the possible implication those three sweet food items have on our tooth decay. As is observed from the given presentation, honey causes the least tooth decay while the cane sugar possesses the possibility of decaying our tooth among the mentioned three sweet foods.
The graph shows that different acid level is created in mouth after we consume different sweet food items.The higher acid level is measured by the lower pH level and tooth decay is likely when the pH level in our mouth goes below 5.5. After we eat fruit sugar, the pH level of our mouth declines below 5.5 in 5 minutes and remain in danger level until 13 minutes. Similarly, Cane sugar causes the pH level to get under pH level 5.5 in 5 minutes but it remains in danger level for more than 30 minutes which shows the fact that can sugar can cause more tooth decay than the fruit sugar. Finally, in 5 minutes the pH level of our mouth reaches to danger level in 5 minutes after we take honey and this level remains in the danger zone for about 20 minutes.
The comparison of the three sweet items indicates that the honey is comparatively safer for our dental health as it possesses the least possibility of tooth decay while cane sugar possesses the most danger to our dental health as it would possibly cause the highest tooth decay.
(Approximately 225 words)
Sample Answer 6
The graph depicts a comparison of acid level in mouth after consuming sugar/honey. One axis of the graph contains PH level which measures acidic level and the other axis reflects timeline after consuming, spaced out equally with 5 minutes gap. As per the graph, tooth decay starts when the PH level falls beneath 5.5 on the scale and it is quite clear that PH level falls rapidly after consuming all three commodities.
To start with, the PH level in our mouth is at 7 and begins to decline after consuming each item and the rate at which it falls is maximum in case of cane sugar. It crosses the danger level within a span of 5 minutes and by the end of 5 minutes, PH level reaches its lowest point in case of cane sugar i.e. 3.5 and the same for fruit sugar and honey, which are 4.25 and 4.75 respectively. After 5 minutes has elapsed, the trend line tends to be inverted and from here on the PH level initiate its recovery in case of fruit/cane sugar though it remains at its lowest in the case of honey for a further 5 minute-period. On reaching 10 minute-mark, PH level in case of honey seems to recover at brisk pace taking over the recovery of other items and reaching the safe zone within a span of 15 minutes. Fruit sugar PH level crosses the line before 20 minutes but cane sugar PH level took almost double the time of honey to recover from tooth decay. Honey PH level normalise by the end of 25 minute’s mark and the same is 32 minutes and 40 minutes in case of fruit sugar and cane sugar respectively.
Sample Answer 7
The given line graph illustrates the various acid levels in the mouth related to three different sweet foods such as fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey. The first point to note is that acid levels due to these different sweets are at a level at tooth decay is unlikely to occur both at the time of eating and after 15 minutes of eating.
At the moment of eating of three sweets, acid levels are very low and equal at 7 pH. Then after 5 minutes, it dropped to a pH of 3.5, 4.5, and 5 by cane and fruit sugar and honey respectively. Acid levels in the mouth gradually decrease and reached to the minimum value within half an hour of cane sugar eating. Acid variations in mouth after eating fruit and cane sugar are almost equal for the next 5 minutes and followed by a difference of 1 pH value for the next 20 minutes. However, after 30minutes of eating sugar and cane sugar, pH value raised and reached to 7 and the acid level hit the lowest level.
To sum up, it is clear from the graph that, the given sweets produces high levels of acids in the mouth soon after eating, but reaches to a safe level which tooth decay is not likely to occur within 10-15 minutes.
[ Written by – Jayesh Joseph ]
Sample Answer 8
The provided line graph illustrates the acid level in the mouth which is caused by the consumption of cane sugar, fruit sugar, and honey. As is shown in the graph, the higher the acid level, the lower the pH level. It is also illustrated that a pH level less than 5.5 is the stage when tooth decay occurs.
It is significant that the initial pH level in our mouth is 7, and it drops the moment we eat sugar. In the first 5 minutes, the graph shows that eating cane sugar results in a major drop in the pH level which reaches 3.5 and then begins to increase very slowly in half an hour. During this phase, tooth decay is most likely to happen. It is almost the same when eating fruit sugar, as the pH level drops to less than 4.5 in 5 minutes, and remains at the detrimental level for about 20 minutes. Moreover, the pH level drops to less than 5 when honey is taken, and it possesses the threat of tooth decay for only 10 minutes. So, honey is the least dangerous among the three kinds of food items.
In summary, it appears that cane sugar is the most detrimental one for our dental health while honey is the safest one.
[ Written by – Lady Shah ]
Sample Answer 9
The given illustration demonstrates the acid level, which is the inverse of the pH values, different sweet foods can create in our mouth and their possible implication for our dental health. As is given in the line graph, high acid levels are measured by the low pH level in our mouth and the lower the pH level, it is more likely to decay the tooth.
According to the line graph, fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey cause, different acid levels in our mouth and their impacts last for five to 30 minutes. The pH level below 5.5 is detrimental to our tooth. When we consume honey, the pH level of our mouth decreases to below 5.5 within 4 minutes and that takes around 13 minutes to come out from the danger level. In the case of fruit sugar, the pH level goes below 5.5 in 3.5 minutes and remains in danger level for about 20 minutes. Finally, when we eat cane sugar, the pH level of our mouth goes in the danger level in 2.5 minutes and remains in danger level for about 32 minutes.
In short, honey is the safest sweet food for our dental health while cane sugar is most detrimental to our tooth as it is likely to cause the maximum decay in our tooth.
[ By – Guri ]
Sample Answer 10
The line graph illustrates how the lower pH levels in the mouth, which are produced by eating sweets, causes tooth decay. It is clear that the acid levels are indirectly proportionate to the pH levels and pH level less than 5.5 is favourable to tooth decay.
To launch into the topic, Undoubtedly, the highest acidic levels are due to cane sugar which causes pH 3.5 within 5minutes and these unsafe levels maintain up to half an hour after consumption. Then the second given cause to drop pH level(4) in the mouth is fruit sugar and it takes approximately 20 minutes to level off. Moreover, the last but not least important cause given here is honey. Though it resulted in soaring mouth pH level up to 5, it drops down to a healthy level within 10 minutes after consumption.
To summarise, even though, the given sweet foods increase mouth acid levels within the span of 10 minutes, they take exactly 40 minutes to reach pH 7 after eating which is the safest level that does not cause tooth decay.
[Written by – Lavanya]
Sample Answer 11
The line graph gives information about the acidity level of the mouth after ingesting three different sweet items- fruit sugar, cane sugar and honey over forty minutes. The lower the pH level of the mouth, the more acidic it becomes making it highly conducive to tooth decay formation.
A pH level of 5.5 and above indicates a safe zone, which means tooth decay, is unlikely to occur. Consequently, the pH value below 5.5 is considered as the danger zone, which gives higher chance for the dental problem to happen.
The line graphs show that the cane sugar is the most dangerous among the three sweets products mentioned. It becomes highly acidic at the pH level of 3.5 after 5 minutes of consumption and remained acidic for almost half an hour. On the other hand, fruit sugar becomes acidic (4.2 pH level), five minutes after consumption but reached the safe level of acidity after fifteen minutes. In contrast, honey gets the lowest acidity level (almost 5 pH level) after five minutes of ingestion and plateau on this level for another five minutes, then steadily decreases the acidity in the mouth, and thereby crosses the danger zone after 15 minutes of consumption.
In summary, all the three sweet items have a chance to cause the tooth decay. However, among the three, honey is less likely to cause dental problems as it loses its acidity faster compared to fruit and cane sugars.
[Written by – Carvajal]
Sample Answer 12
The line graph shows the variation of acid levels in our mouth which are produced by the consumptions of sweet foods – fruit sugar, cane sugar, and honey. It also illustrates the safe acid level against tooth decay and the level is also presented using the pH values.
The level of acidity in mouth varies based on the types of food we consume and as shown in the graph, the lower the pH level, the higher the acidity. The initial level of pH in our mouth is seven and below it, the acidity rises. In the first five minutes of the consumption of fruit sugar, the pH level decrease to about 3.5 and in the case of cane sugar consumption, it reaches to roughly 4.5. Finally, it touches approximately 5.0 pH level for the consumption of honey. Therefore, all of them are in the unsafe zone where tooth decay is likely to happen, which is set below 5.5. The acidity created from the eating of honey reaches the safe level in less than fifteen minutes. Cane and fruit sugar created acidity reaches the safe level in about thirty and twenty minutes respectively.
In conclusion, honey consumption causes the minimum tooth decay, hence the safest amongst the three for our dental health and cane sugar is the most dangerous sweet items for our teeth.
[Written by – Bianca]
Sample Answer 13
The provided graph illustrates the acid level in our mouths before and after the consumption of different sweet foods. It is obvious that pH level less than 5.5 is detrimental to our teeth and the longer this level prevails the more damages it causes.
Initially, the acid level of our mouth is 7, but after consuming sugary products the level begins to drop quickly in the first 5 minutes. It slowly tries to get to where it was at first, though it varies in different sugar deliveries. For instance, after the intake of honey, the pH level of mouth descends below 5.5 in 5 minutes and it only takes around 15 minutes to get out of the danger zone, while the cane sugar lowers the pH level in just 3 minutes and it stays in the risk level almost for 35 minutes. Finally, fruit sugar causes the pH level to dip below 5.5 in roughly 4 minutes and stays in hazard zone for about 20 minutes.
To conclude, no matter what sort of sugary food we consume it does damage our teeth and makes them vulnerable. Although the risk of decaying differs from honey to cane sugar and honey seems to be the safest sweet food for our teeth.
[Written by – Amir]