At the root of all oral evil is plaque and food debris left on your teeth that can cause tooth enamel to break down and cavities to form.

Your mouth naturally contains bacteria from the food you eat, which turns into plaque on your teeth.  When this plaque stays on your teeth, it can compromise tooth enamel.  Enamel is hard and made up of mineral salts such as calcium.  These mineral salts are subject to attack by acids, which causes tooth enamel to break down.

When plaque forms on your teeth and doesn't get removed by brushing or the saliva in your mouth, it produces acid as it eats up sugar.  The acid begins to eat away at your tooth enamel and tiny holes begin to form in the enamel.  As the little holes in your enamel increase in size over time, a cavity forms in your tooth. 

To avoid having your tooth enamel compromised, minimize your sweet snack and brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day.  Remember to use dental floss in between your teeth daily.  Most importantly, scheduled routine examinations with your dentist to check and clean your teeth.  Your dentist will see the beginnings signs of tooth decay and be able to stop them in their tracks before they cause more damage.