system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
An acidic mouth is bad for your teeth. What if we let our mouths become more basic?
gpt
Too acidic - demineralization of the enamel which results in cavities

Too alkaline - mineralization of the bacterial plaque's matrix resulting accumulation of tartar which irritates the gingiva. 

The pH of your mouth has to be just about right, not too acidic, not too alkaline, but somewhere around 7. That's not always possible given our diets and not brushing or flossing after a more acidic meal or using chewing gum. 

Brushing your teeth with baking soda is terrible for the enamel (I have seen people do this), it could be used as a mouthwash (the ratio is 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in 200ml of lukewarm water) to buffer the acidity. 

The direction we should be heading towards is not making our mouths more alkaline but rather reducing the acidity so the pH doesn't drop below 5.5 which is the critical pH of enamel demineralization.