Five[1] links in the chain of dental misery
1. Humans like sugar
2. Plaque can only be made from sugar
3. Plaque efficiently excludes oxygen
4. Normal, healthy mouth bacteria, when starved of oxygen, go into anaerobic mode[2]
5. In anaerobic mode some mouth bacteria make lactic or acetic acid
6. Lactic acid dissolves tooth mineral and causes gum inflammation.
[1] Well six then.
[2] Streptococcus mainly produces lactic acid; some species can also produce acetic acid and formic acid.
Lactobacillus mainly produces lactic acid, but heterofermentative species may also produce acetic acid and,
depending on the species and substrate, succinic acid.
Actinomyces mainly produces Lactic acid, but some species also produce succinic acid, acetic acid and formic acid.
The key acid is lactic acid, particularly from Streptococcus and Lactobacillus.
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