"It's not a difficult message to give, but it is a difficult one to implement."
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So says Tamworth dentist Dr Michael Jonas, who is concerned that the opening up of gyms and sporting groups will lead to an increase of oral problems from sports drinks.
And he has reason to be concerned.
The latest statistics, revealed by Australian Dental Association New South Wales, show more than 12,000 adult patients alone in the Hunter New England health district are awaiting treatment in the public dental system.
Dr Jonas sees at least one patient per day with problems like tooth decay, damage to the soft tissue, gums and bones in the mouth from consuming sugar.
"I have seen cases of people, from various ages, who exercise a lot and use sports drinks for hydration," he explained.
An extreme case comes to mind. This patient couldn't open their mouth in cold weather it was so sensitive.
- Dr Michael Jonas
"An extreme case comes to mind. This patient couldn't open their mouth in cold weather it was so sensitive."
An average sports drink contains around nine teaspoons of sugar. They also include acids which can cause even more harm to your teeth.
Research has shown that drinking 340ml of sugary drinks increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by 22 per cent.
But despite the documented harm these drinks can do, Dr Jonas says there are two main solutions. One at a personal level: drink water from the tap.
"In Tamworth especially, we have seen a decline in the number of people presenting with decay since the introduction of flouride in the water," he explained.
"Gunnedah is moving to fluoridating water, and we expect similar results."
As free health care, cheaper than buying bottled water and better for all-round health and the environment - there are no losers.
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The second is for the government to introduce a sugar tax, which he says has already been successful in Britain, Italy, and Scandinavian countries.
"It improves oral health outcomes, and makes people think twice about buying it," he stated.
"The experience has been the consumption hasn't decreased, but the manufacturers decrease the amounts of sugar, improving outcomes."
