8 foods and drinks that ruin your teeth worse than candy

If you eat too much candy, all your teeth will be in holes. Is that what you were told as a child? It turns out that this is not entirely true.

Surprisingly, sugar is not the cause of tooth decay. When you consume sugar, bacteria that naturally live in your mouth consume that sugar as well.

Bacterial waste, however, is acidic. Acid is what causes dental problems. The acid decalcifies or demineralizes tooth enamel, destroying its structure.

Read on to find out about amazing foods and drinks that can ruin your teeth.

8 PHOTOS

1. Salty cracker.

Salted crackers are worse than candy when it comes to teeth. Crackers are nothing more than fermented and starch-treated. They also significantly increase the glycemic index, making food more cariogenic.

2. Fish cracker.

Ever swept up how salty or fish crackers get sticky in your mouth when you chew them? This sticky mucus gets stuck between your teeth and bacteria can feast for even longer.

3. Dried fruits.

When the fruit is dried, all moisture is removed from the fruit, resulting in naturally occurring sugars becoming "extremely concentrated."

This means the dried fruit acts as a sticky caramel in your mouth. They stick to the teeth like candy, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.

4. Cough drops or lozenges

The best sweets are those that you eat all at once. Sucking on hard candy means your teeth are exposed to sugar and acids for much longer than if you had a slice of cake.

5. Grapefruit.

People think grapefruit is a great breakfast, but it is actually very sour. The acid damages the enamel because it literally dissolves it.

6. Coffee.

The tannin acids in coffee can cause more damage to teeth than candy. The acids that enter your mouth with your morning cup of coffee can destroy your tooth enamel. The longer the coffee stays in your mouth, the worse the effect, so avoid frequent coffee breaks.

7. Diet Coke.

Diet cola contains even more acid than regular cola. In a drink without sugar, astringency is lost, so phosphoric acid is added, which dissolves calcium.

8. Bottled lemon tea.

Nestea with lemon has a pH of 2.97, which is roughly the equivalent of drinking a spoonful of vinegar.