WE DWELL on sugar and oral health at this point in time of the pandemic because for some if not many of us, there is a slight chance, or maybe more, that we have been bingeing on sugary foods and drinks during lockdowns.
We are aware, of course, that for many of our countrymen, putting food on the table is a daily struggle, especially as the lockdowns have deprived many of them their livelihoods. We pray that their conditions, and their health and nutrition status, change for the better.
We are also aware that those who have less in life are more disadvantaged because they tend to consume the most affordable foods that could be the least nutritious too. Like calory- and sugar-rich foods and drinks whose nutritive value leaves much to be desired.
The desire for sweet foods and drinks is common among all social classes, the rich and the poor, in rich and poor countries alike.
In young American adults, for example, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake is associated with dental caries or tooth decay which in turn is a major contributor to tooth loss.
About one in four or 26 percent of young American adults reported losing at least one permanent tooth, according to a study published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry in 2017.
The study was conducted by Sunkyung Kim, PhD, of Northrop Grumman Contractor, Atlanta; Sohyun Park, PhD, of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC; and Mei Lin, MD, of CDC’s Division of Oral Health.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are drinks such as regular soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks that have been flavored with added sugars.
Citing previous researches, the CDC study says that in adults living in the United States, SSBs are the most common sources of added dietary sugars. Young adults have been shown to consume larger amounts of SSBs than middle-aged or older adults. It says SSBs adds very little if any or no nutritional value to the body. The association between frequent SSB intake and adverse health outcomes such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease has been reported.
The study, which looked at the number of permanent teeth lost because of tooth decay or gum disease, was based on data from the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System which covered 22,526 adults aged 18–39 years with a daily SSB intake.
The CDC study showed that tooth loss was positively associated with SSB intake frequency. Compared to non-SSB consumers, the odds of losing one to five teeth were higher among adults drinking SSBs more or less once a day, 1–2 times a day and over twice a day. The odds of losing six or more teeth were higher among adults drinking SSBs one to two times a day or more
The study concluded that the frequency of SSB consumption was positively associated with tooth loss among young adults even when the average SSB intake was less than one time per day. It suggested that efforts to reduce SSB intake among young adults may help to decrease the risk of tooth loss.
“Oral health is essential to overall health and well-being. Poor oral health can lead to pain and tooth loss; evidence of links to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease is mounting,” the study stated. “Poor oral health is costly as well. Estimated total expenses of dental services, based on data from Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, was $83 billion among the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population in 2010.”
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is a former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
