Article Accessed September 29th 2014
Article published by the American Dental Association on September 26th, 2014

CHICAGO, Sept. 26, 2014  — The American Dental Association (ADA) is pleased that three leading soda manufacturers recently announced that they hope to reduce the number of calories that Americans consume from sugar-sweetened beverages by more aggressively marketing smaller sizes and drinks with less sugar.

The ADA has long-encouraged the public to practice good eating habits to keep their teeth healthy, because frequent consumption of sugar contributes to tooth decay.  Reducing the portion sizes of sugary drinks may help reduce tooth decay.

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Dr Pepper Snapple Group announced on Tuesday at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City that their goal is to reduce the number of sugar-related calories that American’s consume by 20 percent over the next decade, according to recent news reports.

The ADA says that a steady diet of sugary foods and drinks, including juice and sports drinks, can damage teeth. Cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar and produce acids that attack tooth enamel for up to 20 minutes after you eat or drink. Sipping sugary beverages or eating sugary foods all day results in repeated acid attacks that weaken tooth enamel which can lead to cavities.

To help reduce the risk of tooth decay, the ADA recommends limiting between meal sipping and snacking on sugary beverages and foods. If you must eat a sugary food or drink, consume it with a meal. Drink fluoridated water.  Practice good dental health hygiene by brushing for two minutes twice a day with ADA-Accepted fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, eating a healthy diet and visiting your dentist regularly.

Article Accessed September 7th 2014
Article published by the American Dental Association on July 21st, 2014

Washington, D.C. — According to a new report published in Medical Care, some young adults are enjoying extended dental coverage under the health care policies of their parents, whose employers are voluntarily expanding dental coverage in conjunction with expanded medical coverage. Although the Affordable Care Act allows parents to keep their children on their medical plans up to age 26, there is no similar requirement for dental coverage.

Analyzing two years of post-reform data, the report’s authors found that the ACA’s expanded dependent coverage provision increased access to dental care for young adults ages 19-25 by 6.9 percentage points. Given that the pre-reform coverage rate for this group was 38 percent, this is a significant increase. Utilization of dental services had also increased, by 3.3 percentage points. Finally, the study showed that the ACA policy led to a 2.0 percentage point decrease in the likelihood of this age group experiencing financial barriers to dental care.

Authors Marko Vujicic, PhD; Cassandra Yarbrough, MPP; and Kamyar Nasseh, PhD, examined the impact of the ACA policy on three outcomes: dental benefits coverage, dental care utilization, and financial barriers to dental care. All three authors are researchers with the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute. Dr. Vujicic heads the institute.

The ACA medical coverage expansion’s effect on dental coverage could slow a trend in recent years that has seen fewer young adults seeking and receiving routine dental care.

ADA President Charles Norman, D.D.S. praised the report.

“Given that the ACA fell far short of what it should have done for adult dental coverage, this at least is encouraging news,” he said.

“The fact remains that this segment of the population is just that — only a segment,” Dr. Norman said. “Millions of Americans continue to face barriers to dental care, which is why the ADA created Action for Dental Health, a nationwide, community-based movement designed to ensure that everyone, including the most vulnerable among us, have access to the best quality of dental care America’s dentists can provide.”

Medical Care is a journal of the American Public Health Association.