Beyond the Bristles by Hailey

Beyond the Bristles by Hailey - October 2026 Scholarship Essay

As I looked through my microscope, I came to a realization that humans are not just a single organism, but rather an entire ecosystem. As I examined my tooth plaque, I saw millions of microscopic organisms living among my teeth. Tooth plaque is a sticky, colorless coating around our teeth and gums that forms from food particles and feeds on sugary foods. Without brushing our teeth or actively removing tooth plaque, millions of these microscopic organisms destroy our teeth and gums daily. This can lead to gum disease, cavities, and tartar, which destroy tooth enamel. Researching this topic to enhance my knowledge about my future career, a pediatric dentist, deepened my curiosity on this subject and led me to conduct an experiment on dental products affecting tooth plaque.
My school decided to host a science fair, leading me to develop an experiment to display and showcase the reality of tooth plaque and its effects on our teeth. I decided to take my own tooth plaque off of my teeth and observe it under a microscope. As I looked at it, I noticed some little organisms moving around and I was a bit disgusted. This disgust soon turned into fascination as I studied the structures of the plaque. I then took pictures of the tooth plaque before adding the dental products.
As I added toothpaste and mouthwash, the tooth plaque broke down and tore apart. Showcasing this not only to myself, but also to my peers, helped me to realize the significance of brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash daily. Without using these products correctly, our gums would deteriorate. These tiny organisms would destroy our teeth and take over our oral health. Seeing the variety of tooth plaque structures and the amount of these microorganisms made me care even more about my oral care. As a result, my oral care habits drastically changed, improving my dental health.
This experiment not only deepened my knowledge on the impact of tooth plaque on our health, but also helped me resolve a personal dilemma. My future life was torn between being a pediatric dentist and a surgeon. Conducting this research and watching the plaque deteriorate resolved this dilemma. This research inspired me to want to improve other individuals' oral health and educate them on the severity of the matter. However, I realized that not everyone can afford to care for their oral health. Many countries do not have the resources or supplies. Seeing the true reality of tooth plaque, I knew I needed to do something to help solve this issue. This led me to research opportunities to help others in these developing countries. As I researched, I discovered mission trips. These trips bring many experiences, such as helping others to feel better, meeting new people, and experiencing their life, which has led me to become inspired to do the same.
This research project on tooth plaque helps to showcase the reality of oral hygiene and how important it truly is. Even though feelings of disgust arose during the project, they were soon overpowered by fascination and wonder. This fascination and wonder led me to research dentistry and how to improve oral health across the world. The project did not just deepen my understanding of the impact plaque has on our health, but revealed to me a whole new world that helped to shape my vision for my future.