Certain foods and drinks can significantly harm dental health, leading to staining, cavities, and other issues.

“Foods and drinks that contain sugar can feed the bacteria in your mouth. The bacteria, in turn, produce acid that can damage your enamel,” Dr Erin Fraundorf, dentist at Boca Orthodontic and Whitening Studio in Missouri, told Yahoo Life.

Fraundorf suggested that if a substance can stain a white T-shirt, it can also stain teeth. She pointed out that items such as coffee, tea, red wine, sodas, sports drinks, tomatoes, curry, and berries have pigments that adhere to tooth enamel and cause surface stains.

“Foods and drinks that contain sugar can feed the bacteria in your mouth. The bacteria, in turn, produce acid that can damage your enamel,” the FiveSix Family Dental in Illinois owner Dr Amy Sliwa Lies stated.

Here are eight foods that are bad for teeth:

Popcorn

If ice is regarded as the primary threat to dental health, popcorn kernels are a significant contender for second place. Lies noted that a kernel of popcorn occupies this position.

Furthermore, as highlighted by Colgate, the risks associated with popcorn extend beyond the hard, unpopped kernels, which can fracture a tooth or damage dental implants. The hulls can also become trapped between teeth or irritate the gums, potentially resulting in the formation of an abscess.

Ice

“Any food or drink can damage our teeth at an accelerated rate when we are older because our enamel is thinner or sometimes worn through to the dentin — the inner layer of the tooth — and less resistant to changes in pH/bacteria,” Lies stated.

Sugary candies

Caramels, gummy bears, chocolate taffy candies, and sour soft candies may be delicious, but they can adhere to teeth and nourish bacteria, which then generate acid that causes cavities.

Fraundorf explained that sticky candies are particularly harmful because they stick to difficult-to-reach areas, reducing the effectiveness of your toothbrush.

Stiff candies

The Boca Orthodontic and Whitening Studio dentist mentioned that jawbreaker candy, peppermints, and other crunchy candies exposed teeth to sugar for prolonged periods, increasing the risk of chipping when bitten.

She advised avoiding frequent consumption and cautioned against biting down on them.

Crackers

Crackers are starchy snacks that bacteria can easily convert into sugar.

Fraundorf recommended consuming such crackers during a meal and then brushing and flossing afterwards to eliminate any residue stuck between the teeth.

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Crunchy chips

Anyone who had braces might have recalled being warned about the risks of eating snack foods that could damage dental work. For others, the main concern with such hard, crunchy chips was the potential for a sharp impact on the gums or the roof of the mouth.

Moreover, individuals with compromised teeth that were susceptible to breaking from improper bites were advised to be cautious when consuming these chips. Lies stated that a tooth might have had a filling, decay, or an existing crack, which was common in people who ground their teeth. She also noted that teeth that had received root canal treatment tended to be more brittle and could break more easily.

Citrus fruits

“Enjoy in moderation and rinse your mouth with plain, flat water afterwards,” Fraundorf said.

Dried fruit

Dried fruit is often sticky and can cling to teeth. Fraundorf pointed out that although the sugar is natural, it is still high in sugar, which provides nourishment for bacteria that cause cavities.