Study: Sugar Rules The World And Ruins Teeth

"Ninety-five percent of 12-year-olds in the Philippines have tooth decay, or cavities. And cavities affect seven in 10 children in India, one-third of Tanzania teens and nearly one in every three Brazilians."

"These and other startling oral health statistics are the focus of a two-part series published this week in The Lancet. In it, more than a dozen dentists and public health experts call for radical action to end neglected and widespread oral disease."

"The culprit?"

"'Sugar is the causative agent for dental decay,' says Robert Weyant, one of the study authors and a dental public health expert at the University of Pittsburgh. 'Basically, without sugar, you won't develop decay.'"

"The Lancet study authors also point at what they call a failed dental system, where many dentists prioritize treatment over prevention efforts — like toothbrushing with fluoride and restricting sugar intake. Coupled with an overwhelming number of sweetened food and beverage options, cavities are on the rise, especially in low- and middle-income countries."

"That's because residents in those places are undergoing a global phenomenon known as a 'nutrition transition,' says Habib Benzian, a study coauthor and associate director of global health and policy at New York University's College of Dentistry."