High sugar intake has given rise to dental treatment costs in the billions according to new research conducted in Germany. In a study published in the International Journal of Dental Research, researchers from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the Biotechnology Research and Information Network AG evaluated representative data on the prevalence of caries, inflammation of the gums (periodontitis) and tooth loss, corresponding costs of treatment and the disease burden, as well as data on sugar consumption, in 168 countries for the year 2010.
“The data shows a clear correlation between the consumption of sugar and the incidence of caries, periodontitis and, as a result, tooth loss,” said lead author Dr Toni Meier.
‘Hidden’ sugar
Working from this data, they calculated the share of total costs attributable to high sugar intake. In addition to white household sugar, the researchers also focused their attention on so-called ‘hidden’ sugar that is contained in many processed products.
“For every additional 25g of sugar consumed per person and day—which amounts to roughly eight sugar cubes or a glass of sweetened lemonade—the costs of dental treatment in high-income countries increase on average by US$100 (€75) per person and year.”
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