The Bad
Lollies and Hard Candies

It’s no surprise that sweet treats like lollies and hard candies come in at our number one, full of sugar and sticky gummy badness, they are the original ‘Bad food for teeth’. The soft and gummy sugar mixture is easily trappable between the gaps of the teeth, cementing and sticking put on surfaces of each tooth – not to mention, the sugar remains in the saliva and tongue, spreading and coating the teeth in sugary corrosion.
Even worse, hard lollies – if bitten, cement on the tops and in between teeth, the longer this sugar stays in the mouth, the more bacteria are welcomed onto the surfaces of the enamel. This bacteria loves to eat the sugar off the tooth, and with it the enamel; causing decay and subsequently tooth rot. Whilst it is difficult to avoid sugar entirely, it is important that after you eat lollies, to floss and brush your teeth – and perhaps rinse out with mouth rinse, so that no harmful bacteria is given the opportunity to feast off the sugar in your mouth.
Coffee

Oh no, you heard me! Coffee comes in at number 2 on our list – the caffeinated liquid gold is not so golden for our teeth. Both bad for our breath, the colouring of our teeth, and the health of our enamel, coffee is not a dentist’s friend when looking at your teeth.
In simple terms, coffee contains Tannins, think of it like a suntan, neither good in terms of health. Tannins are molecules that attach to the enamel of the tooth and leave unwanted yellow discoloration in its position. Coffee also, unfortunately for us, is bad for our enamel. Coffee can cause bacteria to grow in our mouth, after drinking a it this bacteria grows on the teeth and can erode the enamel – making the teeth brittle and thin over time. Coffee is delicious, so if you find it almost impossible to give up, perhaps instead of reaching for that extra cup to wake you up, you could eat an apple (great for teeth cleaning) or a small cup of peppermint tea.
Using an electric toothbrush instead of manual – it has more cleaning power and can help move along those annoying tannins staining your teeth. Or make sure you rinse out your mouth thoroughly after drinking a cup, so the bacteria is washed a little bit away. The best option, however, is to see the dentist for 6 monthly, or even 4 monthly cleans; this ensures that the strength of your enamel is monitored, the stains on your teeth are decreased as they are polished more often, and the overall health of your teeth are focused on more.
Citrus Fruits

We all love to sink our teeth into juicy oranges, perhaps squeeze lemon juice into our water for a refreshing kick, but this is not a habit that should be adhered to daily. The high acid content in Grapefruits and lemons particularly erodes tooth enamel over time. The thing about enamel is, once it is eroded it can’t be ‘grown’ or developed back – it is gone forever. This increases susceptibility to decay, and tooth pain.
This is not to say that you should not consume citrus fruits, just be aware of eating them in moderation – they are excellent sources of Vitamin C, which is great for providing the connective tissues of your gums to remain healthy, stabilizing the teeth in place. If you are concerned about the erosion of your teeth, but want to get Vitamin C into your diet, try alternative sources like Strawberries, Blueberries or Broccoli.
The Good
Dairy Products

Our teeth are the only exposed bones we have in our body, calcium is what we eat to ensure the strength and vitality of our bones – so it only makes sense that to have strong teeth we must ingest our calcium! Calcium found in Yogurt, Milk and Cheese, is the key ingredient in a mineral called hydroxyapatite (hy-droxy-apa-tite), that strengthens bones. Research also suggests that the protein found in cheese and other dairy products, when eaten with calcium, act as a ‘power duo’ in repairing and strengthening the tooth’s enamel.
Apples and Pears

An apple a day keeps the dentist… Happy! Apples won’t keep anyone away, but they are excellent in making your dentist happy when you come for your 6 monthly cleans. Eating apples or other hard fibre-rich fruits like pears, can help clean your teeth – they increase the saliva content in your mouth, neutralising the citric acids left in your mouth over the day. Fresh apples, when chewed, the fibrous texture stimulates your gums, further reducing cavity-causing bacteria, and increasing the flow of saliva. Ultimately, the greater the flow of saliva, the more likely the harmful bacteria in your mouth is to be washed away.
Strawberries

These lovely little red fruits are not only excellent sources of sweet deliciousness but are great little treats that can help reduce the staining of your teeth! Strawberries contain malic acid, a natural enamel whitener!
Though you should floss the little seeds out from between your teeth after eating them, the malic acid helps to break down those tannins I mentioned before – they are the good bacteria that kill off the bad stains on your teeth, leaving you with fresh and shiny, stain-free enamel!