Bacteria present in your mouth may combine with small food particles and form saliva, forming a sticky film known as plaque. Bacteria in plaque produces acid as it converts food and drink high in carbohydrates (particularly sugar) into energy. If a plaque is allowed to build up, the acid can begin to cause damage to the tooth enamel. This explains why poor diet and poor oral hygiene may increase the risk of tooth decay.

Although all of our content is written and reviewed by healthcare professionals, it should not be substituted for or used as medical advice. If you have any questions about your health, please speak to your doctor.

Authored Dec 22, 2017 by Joseph Issac, MPharm
Reviewed Mar 23, 2021 by Prabjeet Saundh, MPharm
{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"CreativeWork","@id":"https://www.postmymeds.co.uk/ufaqs/causes-tooth-decay/","name":"What causes Tooth Decay?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Issac","honorificSuffix":"MPharm"},"contributor":[{"@type":"Person","honorificPrefix":"","name":"Prabjeet Saundh","honorificSuffix":"MPharm"}]}}