From Volume 48, Issue 1, January 2021 | Pages 8-11
The link between sugar and caries is a well-established relationship and the efforts to reduce patient sugar intake is part of daily practice for a holistic clinician. Sugar taxation has been employed by many countries in an attempt to deal with the worldwide concern of non-communicable diseases. Taxation of sugar in the UK could increase its revenue, reduce sugar intake and affect caries incidence; considering how the sugar levy could shape the way caries is managed important.
The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 study highlighted that the most prevalent condition in adults was dental caries and the tenth highest among children and deciduous teeth.1 Over the years, numerous expert and consensus reports have confirmed that dental caries and its development are consistently linked to the quantity of sugar consumed,2 with sugar being the most important dietary factor in the development of caries. A systematic review of the evidence of this link was commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) and led to the update of their guidelines on sugar consumption: it should be less than 10% of daily energy consumption in order to minimize caries risk.3 Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a significant contributor to excess sugar consumption, which is apparent across all social demographic groups.4 In daily clinical practice the link between sugar intake, caries rate and socio-economic status and the regularly blamed sugar within Western diets is obvious. The possible effect of a sugar levy is relevant to all clinicians. The sugar tax on sugar-sweetened soft drinks was introduced by the UK government in 2018 in a primary drive to reduce obesity and type II diabetes. This was heavily backed by the British Medical Association (BMA), which had been campaigning for the change since 2015.
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