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As a Dental Hygienist for the past 24 years, my passion lies in helping my patients,
young and old, achieve and maintain good oral health for a lifetime. That is why I fully
support a 2 cent per ounce excise tax on sugary drinks.
Almost on a daily basis, I see first hand the destruction and rampant decay caused by
sugary drinks – sodas and sugar added juices and sports drinks. The sugar and phosphoric
acid contained in many of these beverages literally “bathes” the teeth when consumed,
resulting in the bacteria producing an acid that attacks tooth enamel and causes extensive
decay.
Most heartbreaking are the children who are drinking these harmful drinks daily at home,
because it is readily available to them, sometimes as the only form of liquid refreshment.
Most of these children are not purchasing the beverages, but are suffering the rampant
decay caused by drinking them because they are so accessible, and, they’re what their
parents are drinking. “Baby teeth” are more vulnerable to decay, as the enamel is not as
able to resist the attack caused by the sugar and the acid.
When a child presents for an initial visit and is diagnosed with rampant decay and faces
extensive treatment plan, it is traumatic, and instills a dental phobia that lasts a lifetime,
which sets them up for a lifetime of poor dental health.
At our office, Vermont Dental Care, over 60% of our patients qualify for Medicaid. This
lower socio economic group seems to be especially affected the detrimental effects of
sugary drink intake due to the high volume of these beverages they consume. Despite our
best efforts at educating our patients about the harmful effects of sugar-added to their
dental and overall health, there seems to be no decrease in consumption.
I support the sugary drink tax to help my patients, whom I care so much about, decrease
their consumption of sugar-added drinks, especially the kids who deserve a chance to
grow up free of dental decay, especially in the year 2015.
Tracy Towers RDH
Colchester VT