Here’s What Happens:
- You eat or drink → especially things like snacks, sugary drinks, or carbs.
- Bacteria in your mouth feed on it → and produce acid.
- Acid drops your mouth’s pH → quickly falling below 5.5 (the danger zone).
- Enamel starts to dissolve → this is how tooth decay begins.
- Your saliva slowly neutralises the acid → but it takes 30 to 60 minutes to return to safe levels.
Visual Summary of Stephan’s Curve:
- Imagine a curve that dips sharply after eating and slowly rises again.
- The bottom of the dip is when your enamel is most at risk.
- If you snack or sip often, your mouth stays in the danger zone longer — which means more damage.
Why This Matters:
- Frequent snacking = frequent acid attacks.
- Your teeth don’t get time to recover.
- Even “healthy” things like fruit juice, smoothies, and granola bars can drop pH below 5.5.
How to Protect Your Teeth:
- Limit how often you eat between meals.
- Rinse with water or chew sugar-free gum after eating.
- Use products like Smile Boosters (with xylitol and fluoride) to help protect and neutralise.