Sugar & Tooth Decay

The association between sugar-sweetened beverages and
dental caries among third-grade students in Georgia

Wilder et al., Journal of Public Health Dentistry 2016

This study looked at the association between sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and tooth decay in 8-9 year olds.

Around 50% of the children had at least two servings of SSBs per day, and only 15% had none.

Higher consumption of SSBs is associated with higher tooth decay prevalence, with tooth decay experience increasing 22% for each additional serving of SSB (after adjusting for important covariates). Consequently, health messages about SSBs from dentists, physicians, and other healthcare providers as well as policy approaches at the school, state, and national levels to limit consumption of SSBs may collectively impact both the development of dental caries and obesity, leading to overall better health for children.