The mouth naturally contains various elements including saliva, plaque, calculus and many types of bacteria. Some bacteria are beneficial as they help control the destructive bacteria. Other strains like Streptococcus mutan contribute to tooth decay by consuming simple sugars and converting them into an acidic plague. Dental plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth soon after eating or drinking sugary substances.
When plaque sticks to the teeth, the acid produced progressively attacks the minerals in your teeth in a process called demineralization. If you neglect to brush and floss as often as you should, plaque keeps growing and becomes hard and difficult to remove, forming a gateway for the formation of cavities. As more sugars are consumed, the acids produced continue to eat their way into the enamel to the inside part of the tooth leading to tooth decay.
