New documents have recently been released that detail big sugar’s (the Sugar Research Foundation, which is a group sponsored by the biggest players in the sugar industry) attempt to find a sugar vaccine which would prevent cavities, and other similar products. So let’s take it step by step and see how it all came together.
When did all of this happen?
The Sugar Research Foundation carried out its research in the late 1950s to the early 1970s. They received much of their money from the sugar industry, for obvious reasons, but they also received tax payer money. Their stated aim was to eliminate cavities in the general population and make sugary treats safer to eat. It actually sounds like a noble cause, until you remember that at the same time as they were conducting this research, they were also trying to downplay sugar’s negative effects in their advertisements.
So what did they try?
They had a few different ideas that they poured research into. They tried to create a powder, that when mixed with sugary foods would attack the bacteria in your mouth and kill it before it had a chance to digest the sugary carbohydrates and secrete acidic waste that causes cavities. They also thought about reengineering sugar to make it less harmful, which in a small way has come true with all the artificial sweeteners that are on the market today and that are generally some derivative of sugar. However, it should be noted, big sugar’s research did not lead to any of them. Their boldest avenue of research was a vaccine that would prevent cavities. Much like the powder, they wanted to target the specific bacteria in a person’s mouth that are most commonly the main cause of cavities. The belief was that if they could neutralize the biggest contributor to cavities, kids would no longer have to worry about eating sugary delights.
So what came out of it?
Nothing really. It turned out to be a waste of money. And in the case of the taxpayer money that was spent, it could have been put to better use educating people about the dangers of eating too much sugar instead of trying to find a magic bullet cure to the problem. Big sugar was running ads around this time about how children needed sugar to ‘stimulate’ their brains and ‘grow up strong’. Notions that the general public now knows are bogus. However, years of education and PSAs were needed to combat the misinformation spread by big sugar.
Where do we stand now?
Almost everyone now understands that sugar is awful for your body and especially for your teeth. Schools now do a great job of teaching this to young kids. Unfortunately, knowing something is bad for your health and acting on that knowledge are two different things. Cavities are the number one chronic childhood disease in America, with no solution in sight. The best thing you can do as a parent is make sure your child takes good care of their teeth, and limit your kid’s sugar intake. It is important to realize just how many products now contain sugar, and just how bad it can be for teeth.
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