Smile at oral health!

The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) supports World Oral Health Day (WOHD)

Brussels, 18th March 2021: the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) proudly joins the FDI World Dental Federation in the celebration of World Oral Health Day on 20th March, aiming to reduce the burden of oral diseases. A healthy mouth enables you to enjoy a healthier life… and lots of smiles!

Oral diseases affect everybody, worldwide, impacting on individuals, health systems and economies:

  • Oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people globally;1
  • More than 530 million children suffer from tooth decay in their primary teeth;1
  • Untreated oral diseases can result in pain, infection, tooth loss and loss of productivity.

World Oral Health Day is organised each year to inform people of all ages about the importance of good oral health, and its impact on overall health and quality of life. In this context, it is essential to educate the public on how to prevent and manage oral diseases, and to urge governments and policy makers to secure better oral health for everybody, worldwide.

Be proud of your mouth

As part of the WOHD 2021 campaign, FDI urges us all to be proud and to take good care of our mouth. The ISA is pleased to join this call and to release its video supporting oral health.

Most oral diseases are largely preventable and can be treated in their early stages: knowledge, practicing a good oral hygiene routine and early action are key! Take care and be proud of your mouth by:

  • Brushing your teeth twice a day, for two minutes, with a fluoride toothpaste;
  • Visiting your dentist for regular check-ups;
  • Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption;
  • Eating a balanced diet, low in sugar, which is a primary cause of tooth decay;
  • Chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks, when brushing is not possible, to help neutralise plaque acids, which are a risk factor in the development of dental caries.

Low/no calorie sweeteners: tooth-friendly ingredients

Unlike sugars, low/no calorie sweeteners are non-fermentable ingredients which means they are not broken down by bacteria in our mouth and, therefore, do not contribute to the development of dental caries, or compromise oral health, and can fit well within a tooth-friendly diet.2,3,4 Thanks to these properties, low/no calorie sweeteners enable food and drink manufacturers to reformulate products and support oral health by contributing to healthy food environments, as encouraged by governments at a global level.5 For more information on the role of low/no calorie sweeteners in oral health you can download the dedicated infographic by clicking here.

Engage in the conversation around World Oral Health Day 2021 on social media by using the dedicated hashtags: #ISA4WOHD#WOHD21, #MouthProud.

  1. WOHD ‘Action toolkit for individuals, workplaces, community groups’. Available online here: https://www.worldoralhealthday.org/action-toolkit-individuals-workplaces-community-groups
  2. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that: “Consumption of foods/drinks containing intense sweeteners instead of sugar contributes to the maintenance of tooth mineralisation”. EFSA Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to intense sweeteners. EFSA 2011 Journal 9(6): 2229, and 9(4): 2076
  3. FDI World Dental Federation Policy Statement: Sugar substitutes and their role in caries prevention. Adopted by the FDI General Assembly, 26 September 2008, Stockholm, Sweden. Available online here: https://www.fdiworlddental.org/sugar-substitutes-and-their-role-caries-prevention
  4. Gibson S et al. Consensus statement on benefits of low-calorie sweeteners. Nutrition Bulletin 2014;39(4):386-389
  5. Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, 19 Sep 2011. http://www.who.int/nmh/events/un_ncd_summit2011/political_declaration_en.pdf