Everyone knows that if you want to have healthy teeth you should try and avoid too many sweets and sugary drinks. These are one of the main causes of tooth decay in both children and adults and lead to fillings, extractions and treatment from London dentists to fix a problem that was always easily preventable.

As well as sugary snacks, there are other foodstuffs you should try and avoid, if you want to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. As with every diet, you don’t need to cut these things out completely and a few sweets or chocolates never did anyone any harm – but everything should be in moderation. As long as you take good care of your family’s teeth, the odd glass of fizzy pop should not be able to cause any lasting damage.

Some of the other bad foods for teeth include starchy foods, like crisps and bread, which become lodged between the teeth and below the gum line far easier than other products. Dried fruit is surprisingly high in sugar, so try and eat fresh when you can, although bear in mind that citrus fruits are also very acidic, which can eat away at the enamel of your teeth.

It may feel like there are no foods that are OK with your dentist, but if you have any questions you can always check with your own practitioner. Generally speaking, there are some foodstuffs that are actually beneficial to your teeth. Foods that are high in fibre tend to be rougher, and can actually clean your teeth as you eat, dairy products are very low in sugar and help to stimulate the mouth’s natural defences and finally a refreshing cup of tea, both green and black, contain substances that can help your body to fight off the bacteria responsible for the worst cases of tooth decay and gum disease.