Capable of promoting the development of caries (cavities). Used to describe any food containing sugars or cooked starches that can be used by bacteria living in the plaque on the tooth to form acid.

describes any food containing sugars or cooked starches that potentially can be used by bacteria living in the plaque on the tooth to form acids.

decay-causing

Things that are bad for teeth and cause decay are described as being cariogenic, or having cariogenic properties.