Plaque are tiny
colonies of living organisms that are constantly on the move on your teeth, gums,
lips and tongue. Having bacteria in your mouth is a normal thing.
While
some of the bacteria can be harmful, most are not and some are even helpful. Certain
types of bacteria, however, can attach themselves to hard surfaces like the enamel
that covers your teeth. If they're not removed, they multiply and grow in number
until a colony forms. More bacteria of different types attach to the colony already
growing on the tooth enamel. Proteins that are present in your saliva (spit) also
mix in and the bacteria colony becomes a whitish film on the tooth. This film
is called plaque, and it's what causes cavities.
Sugar
plays a harmful role in tooth decay. The bacteria that form together to become
plaque, use sugar as a form of energy. They multiply faster and the plaque grows
in size and thickness. Some of the bacteria turn the sugar into a kind of glue
that they use to stick themselves to the tooth surface. This makes it harder for
the bacteria to get washed away with your saliva.
The
plaque that forms on your teeth and doesn't get washed away by saliva or brushed
away by your toothbrush produces acid as it eats up sugar. The acid dissolves
the minerals that make your tooth enamel hard. The surface of the enamel becomes
porous - tiny holes appear. After a while, the acid causes the tiny hole in the
enamel to get bigger until one large hole appears. This is a cavity.
