Within about five minutes after you eat or drink, bacteria begin producing acids as a byproduct of their digesting your food. Those acids can penetrate into the hard substance of the tooth and dissolve some of the minerals (calcium and phosphate). If the acid attacks are infrequent and of short duration, your saliva can help to repair the damage by neutralizing the acids and supplying minerals and fluoride that can replace those lost from the tooth.

However if your mouth is dry, you have many of these bacteria, or you snack frequently; then the tooth mineral lost by attacks of acids is too great and cannot be repaired. This is the start of tooth decay and leads to cavities.

Your dentist will inform you of several methods of controlling tooth decay - including diet, fluorides, plaque removal, saliva, anti-bacterial mouth rinses and sealants.  Caries Tests, Prevention Programmes and recommended products are also available from ProudMouth.

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