10 Foods That Have a Negative Effect on Your Teeth

Although most of us are perfectly aware that sugary foods can cause a lot of damage to our teeth, we may not be as aware of the many other foods that – while healthy in other ways – can be detrimental to our oral hygiene if we don’t take particular care.

Here are just 10 of the foods that can adversely affect your teeth – some more surprising than others.

1. Apples

This may be one of the most shocking inclusions on this list for some, given the oft-repeated ‘one a day keeps the doctor away’ mantra. Apples can damage your teeth due to their high acid content, although of course, that doesn’t mean that you should avoid them – a quick rinse of your mouth with water or mouthwash after eating one should put your mind at rest.

2. Bread

Not only can bread, particularly processed white bread, contain sugar – with any added sweeteners causing particular problems – its sheer stickiness can lead to it easily getting in the gaps between your teeth.

3. Sweets

Sweets are surely the most obvious contenders for this list on account of their high sugar content. Hard boiled sweets are an especially big ‘no no’, as the long period that it takes for them to dissolve in your mouth simply gives them more time to cause damage.

4. Salad dressing

Such a seemingly minor addition to your dishes as salad dressing surely shouldn’t cause you many worries about your dental health… should it? Unfortunately, their flavour can be so often attributed to how much vinegar and sugar they have. Don’t avoid salads, but do be wary of overdoing it with the amount of dressing you use.

5. Popcorn

Popcorn is well-known for its propensity to get stuck between your teeth, which heightens the potential for bacteria in those difficult-to-clean spaces. Again, some rinsing, flossing and brushing will come in handy every time you treat yourself to a bag.

6. Ice lollies

Who doesn’t love ice lollies? Unfortunately, they also not only contain a great amount of sugar, but also almost immediately stain your teeth and tongue.

7. Balsamic vinegar

We mentioned vinegar above, because while it tastes brilliant, it does have horrendous staining effects on your teeth, which is why we would advise that you combine it with salad to minimise the impact. However, on the positive side, balsamic vinegar is slightly less acidic than other vinegars.

8. Meat

The combination of the ease with which meat can become stuck in your teeth and the presence in some meat products of sugar as a preservative makes it a perhaps surprising pick for this list. It’s vital to remember, after all, that even low-sugar foods that contribute to tooth decay if they have a tendency to get between your teeth.

9. Peanut butter

Given the stickiness and high sugar content in peanut butter, it has the double-whammy effect of both feeding bacteria and enabling that bacteria to adhere to the teeth more easily. This is why it’s a good idea to look out for natural peanut butter that has not had sugar added, which will help to reduce the problem.

10. Ketchup

Another widely enjoyed addition to many dishes, ketchup is also unfortunately very acidic, thereby opening up the pores of tooth enamel and leading to staining. Once more, moderation in use is very much the key.

Here at BF Mulholland, we take great pride in supplying dental clinics across the UK and the world with the wide-ranging professional products that enable them to give their patients the very best care. Take a look now at our latest dental products from an extensive selection of brands.