Dental hygienists will now have both an age limit and changes in marketing. Thirsty Norwegians swallowed 73 million liters of energy drink in 2022. In addition, we drank over 566 million liters of soft drinks. The desire for a good soft drink is greater than consideration for our precious teeth. Because what does it do to our dental health? According to preliminary results from the “Fit Futures” health survey, there has been a huge increase in acid damage to the teeth. – It looks like the number of patients with serious acid injuries has doubled. It’s pretty violent. That’s what Andreas Schmalfuss, who is one of the researchers behind the survey, says. Andreas Schmalfuss, associate professor at the Arctic University of Norway and specialist at the Dental Health Service’s competence center for Northern Norway. Photo: Privat The examination was carried out at the TANN building at the Dental Health Service’s competence center for Northern Norway and the Department of Clinical Odontology at UiT. Didn’t think about it until Sunniva Pettersen (18) goes to Bodø Videregående where she is a music student. Pettersen is fond of energy drinks and says that she drinks a large can of Red Bull every single day. – I think it’s good. I see it more as a placebo than actually having an effect. AGE LIMIT: Pettersen believes that a statutory age limit is the way to go. Photo: Marie Staberg / news – I didn’t think I had to be careful about it. It doesn’t worry me now, but I’ll keep an eye on it. Pettersen thinks she will be a little more careful going forward – I have always had a fear of the dentist, says Pettersen, who has started to limit her own intake of energy drinks. – It is not good for the body, in the same way as it is not good for the teeth. It is also a habit. There is a lot of money that goes into the week and into the month that I could spend on other things. Hanna Hesjedal-Reinertsen (18), from Sandnessjøen, was also very fond of energy drinks in the past, but now she wants to stop. Hanna Hesjedal-Reinertsen has drunk a lot of energy drinks in the past, but now says that she wants to cut back sharply on her intake. Photo: Private – I used to drink up to several a week, and maybe even every day. I became more aware that it was not good for me. You get withdrawals and it was very expensive. Neither Pettersen nor Hesjedal-Reinertsen has reflected much on how energy drinks affect their dental health. – You know you can get it, but you don’t know much about how much or how little is needed, so you don’t take it too seriously. No way back Schmalfuss is, among other things, an associate professor at the Arctic University of Norway and a specialist at the Dental Health Service’s competence center for Northern Norway. For the past ten years, Schmalfuss has collected data on children’s and young people’s dental health. – In 2011, we examined approximately 900 16-year-olds. Then we called in these patients ten years later. Based on this data, we can see how the acid damage has developed. Scrape out the whole pictureFit Futures participant with healthy 6-year-old molars and participant with severe acid damage on 6-year-old molarsFit Futures Preliminary findings in the health survey: 20 percent had acid damage when they were 16 years old 51 percent had acid damage when they were 26 years old Schmalfuss states that only half the data set has been evaluated so far. The acid damage has both developed, and at the same time more people have gotten it, says Schmalfuss. – I am a little worried about the large patient group that it generates, says Schmalfuss. Once you have acid damage to your teeth, there is no going back. – There are damages you cannot undo. You can treat, but the teeth will not recover. You just repair them. THIRST DRINK: Energy drinks as a thirst drink during exam reading are not recommended in terms of dental health. Photo: Marie Staberg Gamer or do you study exam papers late into the night, with your constant companion by your side, the energy drink? Or do you drink energy drinks when you exercise? It is one of the worst things you can do for your teeth. Why? Yes, because you are constantly exposing your teeth to acid. The enamel on the teeth becomes weaker in contact with acid, and thus does not have time to stabilize. If you constantly sip on a can of energy drink, you will break your teeth, and especially if it is done at night, because then saliva production, with its protective effect, decreases. The more saliva you produce, the faster the acid is eliminated. – It’s an acid bath Dental hygienist Anette K. Johannessen is in daily dialogue with children and young people who struggle with acid damage. DENTAL HEALTH: Anette Kristin Johannessen believes that dental health must be highlighted in the debate about energy drinks. Photo: Private – Acid damage has become the new dental health challenge among young people and it must be taken very seriously. Since energy drinks contain so much caffeine, which is addictive, the danger of a more regular consumption of energy drinks will increase. The Consumer Council believes the time is overdue to introduce an age limit. Johannesen is also very clear about that. – It’s an acid bath. The long exposure to acid, which eats away the enamel on the teeth, causes permanent damage, says Johannessen. Photo: Andreas Jorn Schmalfuss – A statutory age limit needs space first and foremost. There must be a minimum age limit of 16 years. We believe it is necessary to limit access and better protect especially the youngest. – Children are a particularly vulnerable consumer group. They must be entitled to protection against such aggressive marketing. Johannessen believes the authorities must look at dental health, not just the caffeine content, when the parliamentary report on public health, particularly aimed at children and young people, is to be drawn up. There, the now increasing use of energy drinks will be discussed, and there is talk of a possible proposal to introduce an age limit. Energy drinks contain caffeine, and have an invigorating effect. The higher the concentration, the stronger the effect. If you drink too much, you can get into trouble. – Can quickly cost NOK 7,000 – It has become a trend among young people to drink energy drinks and shared drinks create a sense of community. Market forces have succeeded. This is according to the head of the Norwegian Dental Association, Hilde Aga, who is concerned about the development and sharply criticizes the marketing. REQUIRES CHANGE: – We have to do something about both the age limit and the marketing. Photo: Norsk Tannpleierforening – I am very concerned about permitted marketing in Norway. There are well-known athletes who are supposed to stand for healthy health, who advertise this. Children and young people are exposed to pressure which I think the authorities should consider. – Tooth wear costs the patient. The wear is irreversible. You can never replace it. You’ve got a tooth that looks like this and then you wear it out. You can repair. But it has to be done again and again. And it costs money. – A penny on a tooth can quickly cost NOK 7,000. But it’s only for one tooth. Often several people are affected. Aga refers to the figures that appear in the health survey and describes it as serious and quite dramatic. Now, like Johannessen and Schmalfuss, she believes that there must be a change in the law.
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– Quickly costs NOK 7,000 – news Nordland
