The foods you eat can have a major impact on your oral health. If you’re on a health drive or you’re eager to find out which foods to avoid to keep dental diseases away, here are 3 foods, which are bad for your teeth and gums:

Sweets: sweets may taste delicious, but they are one of the worst foods you can eat in terms of your oral health. Sweets are not only laden with sugar, they are also usually acidic and they can be hard, which carries a risk of damage to the teeth. Chewy sweets can get trapped in braces and they also tend to stick to the teeth and get jammed between the teeth. Sugary and acidic foods contribute to acid erosion, which damages the enamel, increasing the risk of decay. If you do have a sweet tooth or you fancy treating yourself, try to avoid eating sweets between meals, moderate your intake and always rise with water or milk afterwards. Wait 45-60 minutes after eating anything sugary, acidic or sweet before you brush your teeth; this helps to prevent damage to the enamel.

Crisps: crisps are an incredibly popular snack option and an accompaniment to many people’s lunchtime meal; however, they are not the healthiest choice. Most crisps contain saturated fats and a lot of salt and they are also starchy, which is harmful for the teeth. When you chew on crisps, they get stuck very easily and you can often feel them in the cracks of the surfaces of the teeth and along the gum line between the teeth for hours afterwards. Crisps are also sources of carbohydrate and starchy carbohydrates are broken down into sugars. If you are eating crisps, try to go for baked versions, rather than fried and eat them at mealtimes only; take care to rinse your mouth after eating with a glass of water.

Popcorn: popcorn is cult classic, especially for those going to the movies, but it’s a major offender in the oral health stakes. Not only is popcorn often rich in sugar or salt, it also gets stuck in the teeth very easily and the kernels can be very hard, which can lead to chips and broken teeth.