Today’s BBC News Article on ‘Sugar tax may be necessary’ was an interesting topic of conversation amongst the Dawood & Tanner team this morning.
See below our thoughts on the possible ‘sugar tax’.
There is growing evidence of the negative effect of sugar-sweetened soft drinks on our short and longer term health. Possible adverse effects related to consumption include weight gain, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
Fizzy drinks have always been a concern in dentistry and these days children in particular are drinking them more and more. Non-diet soft drinks are often drunk between meals and consequently wash our teeth in sugar when our saliva is too inactive to defend them. This constant bathing in sugar lowers the average pH of the mouth and increases the chance of dental decay. Furthermore, fizzy drinks of all kinds contain acid- often citric and phosphoric- which softens the surface of teeth, leaving them vulnerable to both dental decay and tooth erosion.
Dr Susan Tanner Specialist in Prosthodontics, believes what is needed is a reduced consumption of all sugary drinks. Revenue raised through a proposed ‘sugar tax’ on soft drinks should go towards an oral healthcare programme.
