Irish dentists discuss sugar tax at conference

A sugar tax has been announced in the UK by British Chancellor George Osbourne and should take effect over the next two years; now the possibility of a similar tax has been raised in Ireland, in an attempt to curb rising rates of obesity and dental decay among children. The Irish Dental Association was expected to discuss the issue at their annual conference in Galway last week. However, rather than taxing people over sugary soft-drinks and treats, the IDA stated that it would be better to focus on helping people to reduce the amount of sugar they consume, rather than concentrating on how much they are paying for it. Dietician, Orla Walsh, has commented on the situation to news outlets in Ireland, saying that sugar consumption is not just about money, it ‘isn’t good for health, both in the short and long term.’ She spoke about how energy levels are disrupted and it puts us at risk of many diseases and health problems, as well as affecting dental health. She added ‘Children are suffering tooth decay at the moment, and that’s preventable by simply children only drinking milk and water’ and reducing their intake of soft-drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks.