A positive result reflects the tangible impact of policy measures aimed at curbing excess sugar consumption, as a new study highlighted how the UK soft drinks industry levy, or tax introduced in 2018 on sugary products, not only contributed to improving public health, but has also served as a preventative measure, reducing the need for invasive dental procedures. The tax required makers of drinks with more than 5g of sugar to pay a ‘sugar tax’ and now, findings from new research published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health highlight the effectiveness of public health initiatives in tackling oral health challenges. health related. with a high sugar intake, marking a remarkable step in promoting overall well-being.
The World Health Organization has classified dental caries (also known as caries or dental cavity) as the most common non-communicable disease worldwide that affects general health and often causes pain and infection, which can lead to tooth extraction while its severity is a frequent cause absence from school or work. The WHO stated that in many countries, sugary drinks, including fruit and milk-based sugary drinks and 100% fruit juices, are a major source of free sugars, as well as confectionery, cakes, biscuits, sugary cereals, sweet desserts , sucrose, honey, syrups and preserves, but limiting the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake – and ideally even more, to less than 5% – minimizes the risk of dental caries throughout life.
To inform the Global Oral Health Strategy process, where WHO explores cost-effective oral health interventions, including taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), a general review was conducted. The team looked at data from 2012, before the tax was introduced, to February 2020 and found that the number of under-18s who had a tooth removed due to tooth decay may have fallen by 12% as a result.
Based on a population of almost 13 million children in England in 2020, the researchers estimated that the reduction avoided 5,638 admissions for tooth decay, while reductions in hospital admissions were greatest among younger children aged up to four and among children aged five to nine. with absolute decreases of 6.5 and 3.3 per 100,000 respectively. Dr Nina Rogers from the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, the first author of the study, said: “This is an important finding given that children aged five to nine are the most likely to be admitted to hospital for tooth extractions. under general anesthesia.”
Professor David Conway, co-author of the study and Professor of Dental Public Health at the University of Glasgow, said: “Extraction of teeth under general anesthesia is one of the most common reasons for children to be admitted to hospital across the UK. This study shows that ambitious public health policies, such as a tax on sugary drinks, can have an effect on improving children’s oral health.”
According to the study, there were no significant changes in admission rates for tooth decay in the older age groups of 10-14 years and 15-18 years. Professor Sumantra Ray, Executive Director of the NNEdPro Center for Global Nutrition and Health, said: “We welcome the publication of this research which attempts to link changes at policy level and the impact on early oral/dental health outcomes which: if unpleasant, would place a significant further burden on dental services over the course of a lifetime’.
