Timing also is important.
For example, choosing a bowl of sugary cereal for breakfast, which will be followed by a thorough tooth brushing, can be less harmful than choosing a candy bar as an afternoon snack, several hours before the next brushing, Peters said. Sugar is not the only food that contributes to tooth decay. Sticky starches can prompt bacterial growth that attacks tooth enamel and contribute to decay, too, she said. Early tooth decay is sometimes attributed to bottle feeding. When infants and young children are put to bed with a bottle, sugary liquids like milk, formula and fruit juices linger in the mouth.