Millions of tooth decay cases could be offset by sugar taxes, study finds

Beyond reducing diabetes and obesity, new research suggests millions of cases of tooth decay could be prevented if Australia introduced a 20% tax on sugar. The move would reflect similar global advances to more tightly regulate the F&B industry’s impact on consumer health. 

“It could prevent 3.7 million cases of tooth decay, 191,000 cases of gum disease, and 115,000 cases of complete tooth loss,” says study co-author Lennert Veerman, a professor from Griffith’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, Australia.

“The study also estimates a 20% sugar tax would generate approximately half a million health-adjusted life years for the 2019 Australian population over their lifetime, both from dental health improvements and reductions in weight-related illness.”

Oral diseases affect about 3.5 billion people globally, and almost 32% of Australian adults have untreated cases of tooth decay, according to the research team.

They project males to experience the most health benefits from a sugar tax, as they currently consume more sugary drinks and have higher baseline levels of some oral diseases.

Population-level measure

The observational study, published in BMJ Public Health, flags that oral diseases are an accelerating public health threat impacting approximately 3.5 billion people globally.

The study authors add that close to 32% of Australian adults aged 15 and above have untreated dental caries.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are a primary contributor to the oral diseases of dental caries, periodontitis, and edentulism.

The study projects that a 20% tax on sugar could add around 511,000 health-adjusted life-years for the 2019 Australian population over their lifetime.Professor Marco Peres, a study co-author from SingHealth Duke–National University Singapore, notes that the sugar tax is a population-level measure. “It does not rely solely on individuals changing their behavior, but helps create an environment in which healthier choices become easier.”

“This is particularly important if we want prevention strategies to reach the whole population and reduce health inequalities.”

The study projects that a 20% tax on sugar could add around 511,000 health-adjusted life-years for the 2019 Australian population over their lifetime, estimating that 24% of these would be caused by avoiding oral diseases.

“A total of 3.7 million incident cases of dental caries and 191 thousand incident cases of periodontitis would be avoided,” write the study authors. “The incidence of edentulism via dental caries would reduce by ~76,000, and edentulism via periodontitis would reduce by ~39,000 total cases.”

Factoring in oral health into sugar taxes

Adjunct research fellow Mishel Shahid notes that this is the first Australian study to quantify the impacts of a sugar tax beyond tooth decay.

“Previous modeling examined dental caries, but this study also encompassed periodontitis and edentulism, commonly known as complete tooth loss, which adds significantly to the overall impact of the tax,” she notes.

Peres believes these findings reinforce the necessity of considering oral health when evaluating the impact of expanding public health policies targeting sugar consumption.

In the UK, manufacturers are being driven to meet the lowered sugar threshold of 4.5 g per 100 ml — down from 5 g — by 2028. Meanwhile, German regulators are planning to roll out a levy on sugary drinks in 2028, in a move that met with pushback from over 300 local beverage companies.

“The potential benefits of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax extend well beyond reducing obesity and diabetes,” says Peres.

“Our findings show such a policy could also prevent a substantial burden of oral disease across the Australian population.

Notably, Peres says that the sugar tax is a population-level measure and does not rely solely on individuals changing their behavior. “This is particularly important if we want prevention strategies to reach the whole population and reduce health inequalities.”