Study shows children from affluent backgrounds are more likely to have signs of tooth wear
New research suggests that children from more affluent backgrounds are more likely to have signs of tooth wear.
Researchers from Griffith University and the National Dental Research Institute in Singapore found that children from high-income families and those who attend private schools are more likely to experience tooth wear than those with lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Researchers analysed data from 65 studies covering 30 different countries. The findings of the study have been published in the Journal of Dentistry.
Dr Khaled Ahmed, from the Griffith University School of Medicine and Dentistry, said that this is the first large-scale review, which investigates and evaluates “the link between socio-economic status and tooth wear across the world.”
Researchers believe that access to fizzy drinks, energy drinks and shop-bought juices and smoothies increases risks of tooth wear and acid erosion among children living in affluent parts of wealthy countries.
Dr Ahmed explained that dietary habits influence oral health and impact standards of dental health even when measures are introduced to discourage consumers from buying sugary products.
The sugar tax in the UK, for example, has helped to encourage parents and older children to consider other products, but in many cases, the alternatives, including diet versions of popular drinks, are acidic, which means they increase the risk of tooth wear and sensitivity.
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