At the global level the costs of dental treatment are currently running at around 172 billion US dollars. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Biotechnology Research and Information Network AG (BRAIN AG) carried out research within the alliance NatLifE 2020. The alliance is co-financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, with the aim of understanding of biological systems leading to the development of a new generation of sustainably produced and biological active substances for foods and cosmetics. The researchers evaluated data on the prevalence of caries, inflammation of gums (periodontitis) and tooth loss, costs of treatments, and sugar consumption, in 168 countries for the year 2010. Using this data they calculated the share of total costs due to excessive consumption of sugar. The researchers looked into consumption of white household sugar and sugar in processed products, such as soft drinks, ice cream, cakes, and pastries.
Worldwide, people are eating too much sugar. The data shows a correlation between the consumption of sugar and the incidence of caries, periodontitis. and tooth loss. For every additional 25 grams of sugar consumed per person and day (roughly a glass of lemonade) the costs of dental treatment in high-income countries increase on average by 100 dollars per person and year. In Germany, the average daily sugar consumption is between 90 and 110 grams per person. The costs of treatment for diseases from this in Germany are 281 dollars per person and year. In Switzerland this amounts to 402 dollars and 185 dollars in the U.S. The World Health Organization recommends a person should receive 50 grams of sugar per day. If this was reached the researchers estimate this would result in savings in the costs of treatment within Germany of 201 dollars per person and year. In Germany this could result in savings of approximately 16 billion a year.
The researchers found the highest levels of sugar-related dental illness in Mexico, Guatemala, and Mauretania. Other newly industrial countries could also save health care costs by educating their people on health and nutritional policies at an early age. The researchers suggest achieving this by educational campaigns or taxation on certain foods. They cite that a sugar tax has shown to be effective in Mexico.
Source: T. Meier and et. al., Global Burden of Sugar-Related Dental Diseases in 168 Countries and Corresponding Health Care Costs. Journal of Dental Research, vol. 96, issue, 8, pp. 845, 2017.