Dental Treatment Costs Climb Due To Excess Sugar Consumption
Dental Treatment Costs Climb Due To Excess Sugar Consumption Consuming too much sugar is proving costly on a global level, according to a joint study that estimates related dental treatment expenses at $172 billion annually. Conducted by the Martin Luther
Dental Treatment Costs Climb Due To Excess Sugar Consumption
Consuming
too much sugar is proving costly on a global level, according to a joint study
that estimates related dental treatment expenses at $172 billion annually. Conducted
by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Biotechnology
Research and Information Network AG in Germany, the study used data from 168
counties regarding the prevalence of caries, periodontitis, and tooth loss. The
researchers calculated the disease burden and corresponding cost of treatment
to determine the total expense attributable to excess sugar consumption. The
team’s methodology also focused on so-called “hidden” sugar that is found in
processed products. The paper, “Global Burden of
Sugar-Related Dental Diseases in 168 Countries and Corresponding Health Care
Costs,”
appeared in the International Journal of
Dental Research.
“The
data show a clear correlation between the consumption of sugar and incidence of
caries, periodontitis, and tooth loss,” says lead author Toni Meier, PhD, of the Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional
Sciences at MLU. “For every additional 25 grams of sugar consumed per person
per day—which amounts to roughly eight sugar cubes or a glass of sweetened
lemonade—the cost of dental treatment in high-income countries increases, on
average, by $100 per person annually.”
Countries
with the highest annual costs of treatment per person are Switzerland ($402),
Denmark ($238), and the United States ($185). To counter the burden of disease
and associated health care costs, the team recommends that countries establish food-policy
initiatives, such as educational campaigns and special taxation on certain
foods. In addition, abiding by the World Health Organization’s recommendation
to limit intake to 50 grams of sugar (approximately 12 teaspoons) per day would
benefit individual overall health and help reduce treatment costs. Meier
suggests that if this target could be reached, it might save $16 billion per year
in oral health care costs.
Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter
September 2017
