Only the start...

It’s difficult to imagine anyone in the UK having the charisma and influence to demonstrate so powerfully the negative effects of sugar on teeth as Jamie Oliver did in his campaigning programme Sugar Rush, broadcast on September 3.

The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) is delighted that the TV chef turned lobbyist has raised awareness of the close correlation between sugar and dental decay and that he succeeded in highlighting how much added sugar there is in some food and drinks.

Claire Stevens, media spokesperson for BSPD, said that Jamie’s influence would support the advice of the dental profession to limit intake of sugar and to look at food and drink labeling more carefully.

As a result of the programme, a petition calling for a tax on sugary drinks has achieved 125,000 signatures, meaning that Parliament will consider a debate on the subject.

Claire said: “This is a terrific achievement. The programme conveyed very powerfully how damaging sugar is to teeth and to health generally. But the campaign needs to continue - the unacceptably high levels of dental decay in children can’t be solved with a tax on sugary drinks alone.”