Idea of Sugar Tax Rejected by Government

A missed opportunity that could have benefited the nation’s health?

At Alexandra Dental Care, we not only ensure that we keep ourselves up to date with the latest developments in the dental world, but also take an interest in everyday factors that affect our patient’s oral health.

We were therefore disappointed to see that the government has rejected the opportunity to discuss a tax on sugar which bodies such as the British Dental Health Foundation have argued would greatly reduce health problems, not only related to oral health, but also the growing problem of obesity and diabetes.

Children

Children especially are at risk from high sugar consumption and dental decay is the main reason for child hospital admissions in the UK at present (1). In addition to immediate problems caused by high sugar consumption in children, it also sets a pattern, often for life, which can present problems in the adult years and may result in ill health and even premature death.

As sugar is advertised almost everywhere as an ingredient in many foods, often those that you would not expect, it is perhaps little surprise that we see parents from Burton and Ashby who bring their children to us who are in pain with toothache, sometimes bewildered by why this might be the case as they consider themselves to be good parents, and often feel guilty.

Unfortunately, many foods that are promoted as health giving may not be good for the teeth. One of the main culprits are fruit drinks. These fall into two categories; those that pose as fruit drinks but are actually sugary drinks that are fruit flavoured; and actual fruit drinks. Whilst the latter may offer other health benefits such as additional vitamins etc, there is little to choose when it comes to damage caused to the teeth.

The advice that we give to these parents, at Alexandra Dental Care, is to use fruit drinks only as an occasional treat and advise that these are drunk through a straw. Children soon fall into new habits and encouraging them to drink water or very dilute juice instead will hopefully soon be accepted, however difficult it might be at first.

Medical and financial strain

With high profile celebrities such as Jamie Oliver backing the campaign for higher taxes on sugar, it is probably unlikely that we have heard the last about this, and, hopefully, public opinion will increase even more in favour of this tighter regulation. With a rise in public opinion and with the increasing strain on medical services caused by problems worsened by high sugar consumption, hopefully the government will be forced to re-think their decision in the not too distant future, for the sake of children and adults in the UK.

Call our Burton and Ashby dental practice for information and advice about your diet and how it affects your oral health. Call us today on 01283 216347.

1.    https://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB17137/CDHS2013-Executive-Summary.pdf

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