That’s sweet! Sugar tax on soft drinks saves children’s teeth by preventing more than 5,500 hospital admissions for extractions, study suggests

A sugar tax on soft drinks has helped to prevent more than 5,500 hospital admissions for child tooth extractions, a study suggests.

The levy encouraged manufacturers to reduce sugar content in soft drinks, which is one of the main reasons for tooth decay in children.

Introduced in 2018, experts estimate the tax has reduced the number of under-18s having a tooth removed due to decay by 12 per cent.

Based on a population of nearly 13million children, this equates to a reduction of 5,638 hospital admissions for tooth decay. 

The biggest impact was for those under nine, Cambridge University researchers told the BMJ.

Sugar-sweetened drinks account for about 30 per cent of the added sugars in diets of children aged one to three and more than half for older teens (File Photo)

Sugar-sweetened drinks account for about 30 per cent of the added sugars in diets of children aged one to three and more than half for older teens. 

In England, nearly 90 per cent of tooth extractions in young children are due to decay – resulting in 60,000 missed school days a year.

Eddie Crouch, from the British Dental Association, which says the sugar tax should be expanded to other products, said: ‘It is delivering the goods in the fight against decay.’