How does the food you eat cause tooth decay?

When you eat, food passes through your mouth and meets germs, or bacteria, that live there. You may have heard your dentist talk about plaque. Plaque is a sticky film bacteria. These bacteria love sugars and starches found in many foods. When you don't clean your teeth after eating, plaque bacteria use the sugars and starches to produce acids that can destroy the hard surface of the tooth, called enamel. After a while, tooth decay occurs. So remember, brushing after every meal helps remove plaque and decreases the chances for you to develop tooth decay.