How Cavities Can Harm Your Teeth
Did you know, when Aristotle the ancient Greek philosopher first realized eating sweet foods caused tooth decay nobody believed him? Today, we are well aware of the fact that sugar is harmful to our teeth and causes tooth decay. To learn how to prevent tooth decay and how cavities can destroy your teeth, continue reading. Your Mouth is a Battlefield Many different species of bacteria live in your mouth, including good and bad bacteria. When harmful bacteria encounters sugar, it produces acid in your mouth. As a result of this, minerals are stripped from the tooth enamel (demineralization). Your saliva plays an important role in your oral health as it reverses this damage through remineralization. Your saliva contains calcium and phosphate, which replace the minerals lost during an acid attack. This helps the enamel repair itself and strengthens the teeth. Reoccurring acid attacks, cause the enamel to weaken, deteriorate and develop cavities. Cavities are holes in the teeth...