Proper diet is an important contributor to preventing tooth cavities. Although all carbohydrates can cause tooth decay to some degree, the biggest culprits are sugars. All simple sugars have the same effect on the teeth, including table sugar and the sugars in honey, fruits, and milk. Whenever sugar comes in contact with plaque, Streptococcus mutans bacteria in the plaque produce acid for about twenty minutes. The amount of sugar eaten is irrelevant; the amount of time the sugar stays in contact with the teeth is the important issue. Thus, sipping a sugary soft drink over an hour is more damaging than eating a candy bar in five minutes. A person who tends to develop cavities should eat sweet snacks less often. Rinsing the mouth after eating a snack removes some of the sugar; brushing the teeth is more effective. In fact, brushing prevents cavities from forming on the sides of the teeth, and flossing gets between the teeth where a brush can’t reach. Drinking artificially sweetened soft drinks also helps, though diet colas contain acid that can promote tooth decay. Drinking tea or coffee without sugar can also help people avoid cavities, particularly on exposed root surfaces.