Food, drink, pens, pencils, pen lids, fingernails, hair grips, toothbrushes, thumbs, hair, coffee stirrers, reading glasses – the list of things you put into your mouth on a daily basis goes on and on – and on. And every single one of them can carry bacteria – even healthy things like fruit.
Your saliva breaks down carbohydrates into sugars, which the germs in your mouth love. As they feed on the sugar, the germs begin to multiply - again and again.
Germs by the way, are the cause of most of the problems you have in your mouth; bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease and sometimes even sensitivity.
They also build up into a thick layer called plaque which can build up into a hard rough surface called tartar. Tartar attracts discolourants like coffee, causing staining of the teeth.