Sugar tax welcomed by Cheltenham dentist as way to tackle tooth decay and obesit
The Chancellor's announcement in yesterday's Budget of a tax on the makers of sugary drinks reiterates what a Cheltenham-based dental dentist has been saying for years – sugar really is not good for you!
Here, Cheltenham dentist Tim Rumney, owner and clinical director of Illume, gives his view on the tax:
This is something dentists and other health professionals have been calling for because sugar is the number one cause of tooth decay as well as leading to obesity and other associated medical problems.
"Recent figures from NHS England show there has been an alarming rise in tooth decay, especially in children, and sugary drinks play a major part. A typical can contains about 9 teaspoons of sugar which is enough to take someone over their recommended daily intake in one hit."
In 2014-15, the figures show there was a 3% increase in the number of children, aged 10 or under, needing the removal of one of more teeth - amounting to an alarming 33,781 cases. Removal of multiple decayed teeth is the main reason for children of primary school age being admitted to hospital.
The tax on the makers of sugary drinks won't be introduced until two years' time, so these companies will have time to adapt their products to reduce their sugar content which would be welcome.
Hopefully, this will lead to drinks being made that contain less sugar and result in a decrease in the number of children losing their teeth.
But you don't have to wait for two years to gain the benefits from reducing your family's sugar intake, instead you can start now by swopping these sugary drinks for healthier alternatives as well as brushing up on your oral hygiene regime.
Tim said: "Sugar is a problem because plaque on your teeth feed on the sugar and produce acids which dissolve the enamel of the tooth to create cavities. These acids are produced very quickly and can begin to damage the tooth within minutes. It takes 30 to 45 minutes for the mouth to return to normal so frequent consumption creates more acid attacks. The key message is therefore that reducing the frequency and amount of sugar will reduce decay.
"Regular brushing with a fluoride toothpaste will remove harmful plaque and strengthen enamel surfaces. And swapping sugary drinks for water, lower fat milks or sugarfree, diet and no added sugar drinks will help because enamel simply isn't designed to withstand constant attack from sugar," he added.
Too much sugar in children's diets can also lead to obesity and other major health problems such as diabetes so the news the money raised from this new tax will be spent on doubling the funding of primary school sports is welcome.
Top tips on how to reduce sugar intake can be found by visiting the Jamie Oliver website, whilst Action on Sugar at www.actiononsugar.org offers advice on how to eat less sugar.
Here, Cheltenham dentist Tim Rumney, owner and clinical director of Illume, gives his view on the tax:
This is something dentists and other health professionals have been calling for because sugar is the number one cause of tooth decay as well as leading to obesity and other associated medical problems.
"Recent figures from NHS England show there has been an alarming rise in tooth decay, especially in children, and sugary drinks play a major part. A typical can contains about 9 teaspoons of sugar which is enough to take someone over their recommended daily intake in one hit."
In 2014-15, the figures show there was a 3% increase in the number of children, aged 10 or under, needing the removal of one of more teeth - amounting to an alarming 33,781 cases. Removal of multiple decayed teeth is the main reason for children of primary school age being admitted to hospital.
The tax on the makers of sugary drinks won't be introduced until two years' time, so these companies will have time to adapt their products to reduce their sugar content which would be welcome.
Hopefully, this will lead to drinks being made that contain less sugar and result in a decrease in the number of children losing their teeth.
But you don't have to wait for two years to gain the benefits from reducing your family's sugar intake, instead you can start now by swopping these sugary drinks for healthier alternatives as well as brushing up on your oral hygiene regime.
Tim said: "Sugar is a problem because plaque on your teeth feed on the sugar and produce acids which dissolve the enamel of the tooth to create cavities. These acids are produced very quickly and can begin to damage the tooth within minutes. It takes 30 to 45 minutes for the mouth to return to normal so frequent consumption creates more acid attacks. The key message is therefore that reducing the frequency and amount of sugar will reduce decay.
"Regular brushing with a fluoride toothpaste will remove harmful plaque and strengthen enamel surfaces. And swapping sugary drinks for water, lower fat milks or sugarfree, diet and no added sugar drinks will help because enamel simply isn't designed to withstand constant attack from sugar," he added.
Too much sugar in children's diets can also lead to obesity and other major health problems such as diabetes so the news the money raised from this new tax will be spent on doubling the funding of primary school sports is welcome.
Top tips on how to reduce sugar intake can be found by visiting the Jamie Oliver website, whilst Action on Sugar at www.actiononsugar.org offers advice on how to eat less sugar.
posted by Bill at
9:45 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home