Millions of cases of tooth decay could be prevented if Australia introduced a 20% tax on sugar, new Griffith University research has found.

The paper “Impact of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax on dental caries, periodontitis and edentulism in Australia: A modeling study” has been published in BMJ Public Health.

Professor Lennert Veerman from Griffith’s School of Medicine and Dentistry said a sugar tax could significantly improve the oral health of Australians.

“It could prevent 3.7 million cases of tooth decay, 191,000 cases of gum disease, and 115,000 cases of complete tooth loss,” Professor Veerman said.

“The study also estimates a 20% sugar tax would generate approximately half a million health-adjusted life years for the 2019 Australian population over their lifetime, both from dental health improvements and reductions in weight-related illness.”

Oral diseases affect about 3.5 billion people globally, and nearly 32% of Australian adults have untreated tooth decay.

Males were projected to experience the greatest health benefits from a sugar tax because they currently consume more sugary drinks and have higher baseline levels of some oral diseases.

Adjunct research fellow Mishel Shahid said this was the first Australian study to quantify the impacts of a sugar tax beyond tooth decay.

“Previous modeling examined dental caries, but this study also encompassed periodontitis and edentulism, commonly known as complete tooth loss, which add significantly to the overall impact of the tax,” she said.

Professor Marco Peres from SingHealth Duke-NUS in Singapore said the findings reinforced the importance of considering oral health when assessing the broader benefits of policies targeting sugar consumption.

“The potential benefits of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax extend well beyond reducing obesity and diabetes,” Professor Peres said.

“Our findings show such a policy could also prevent a substantial burden of oral disease across the Australian population.

“Importantly, a sugar tax is a population-level measure.

“It does not rely solely on individuals changing their behavior, but helps create an environment in which healthier choices become easier.

“This is particularly important if we want prevention strategies to reach the whole population and reduce health inequalities.”

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