On the occasion of Healthy Nutrition Day on 7 March , the German Society for Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine (DGZMK) is calling for an expanded prevention approach against excessive sugar consumption. Sugar is not only considered the main trigger of caries, but also promotes inflammatory processes in the mouth and in the entire organism according to current scientific findings.

Despite good oral hygiene, the negative consequences of permanently high sugar consumption cannot be fully compensated. In Germany, the proportion of caries among twelve-year-olds has fallen to about 22 percent thanks to long-standing preventive measures and fluoridation – 78 percent of children are caries-free. At the same time, the average daily sugar consumption of the population is around 100 grams, which is about four times higher than the upper limit of 25 grams of free sugar recommended by the World Health Organization.

The DGZMK points out that persistently high sugar consumption promotes gingivitis and periodontitis, even with careful dental care. In addition, there is a close connection with widespread diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Chronic low-grade inflammation is considered a common risk factor for these conditions, as well as for certain cancers and dementia.

Meta-analyses and clinical studies show that a significant reduction in free sugars is associated with significantly less gingivitis. Even a four-week low-sugar, anti-inflammatory diet can noticeably reduce bleeding gums – sometimes even without additional oral hygiene. Historical tartar investigations and experiments with Stone Age-like, low-sugar diets also show that the modern oral microbiome has been significantly changed by industrialization and increasing sugar consumption.

DGZMK President Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Proff calls for prevention to be thought of beyond classic oral hygiene and structural measures to be taken to reduce sugar consumption in the population. Oral health is an integral part of general health.

Prof. Dr. Johan Wölber, Head of Periodontology at the University Hospital Dresden, emphasizes that nutrition has a decisive influence on oral health. He advocates a social attitude towards sugar similar to the development of tobacco consumption and sees a sugar tax on beverages as an effective instrument. In the United Kingdom, such a tax would have led to a 29 percent reduction in the sugar content in soft drinks, while voluntary agreements in Germany would have led to a reduction of only 2 percent.

The DGZMK sees an urgent need for action in health policy to sustainably reduce sugar consumption and to align prevention more holistically.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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