The number of children in England who have had to receive rotten teeth extractions has fallen significantly following the implementation of a sugar tax.
“This study provides evidence of possible benefits to children’s health from the UK soft drinks industry levy (SDIL) beyond obesity which it was initially developed to address,” explains Cambridge and Glasglow University researchers.
The UK’s sugar tax on soft drinks was introduced in April 2018. The latest study shows that the number of children under 18 who have undergone tooth extractions has fallen by 12 per cent since the introduction of the tax. In other words, 5,638 fewer children have rotten teeth pulled every year. Many dentists in the UK are now suggesting that similar taxes should come into force on other sugary products, including milkshakes, cakes, and biscuits. The £355m generated over the years from the soft drink tax will now be used to decide what further public health and anti-obesity programs the country may implement.
