A new report commissioned by the Extra Oral Healthcare Program highlights the significant economic and public health benefits of preventive oral care in Australia. The research reveals that encouraging the widespread adoption of sugar-free gum as part of daily oral hygiene could prevent up to 740,000 cases of dental caries each year, delivering estimated cost savings of AU$169 million.
The report, Benefits of Sugar-Free Gum – International Analysis, conducted by Frontier Economics, has today been launched by the Extra Oral Healthcare Program to mark World Oral Health Day.
Limited public funding for dental care in Australia places a significant financial burden on patients. As a result, many forgo necessary treatment, leading to worsening oral health over time. While private dental insurance offers some relief, out-of-pocket costs remain a barrier – 47% of uninsured individuals delay or avoid dental care due to cost, compared to 19% of those with insurance.
The findings indicate that if most people in Australia chewed sugar-free chewing gum three times a day, there could be an estimated 740,000 fewer cases of dental caries each year. The associated savings in dental treatment costs could reach AU$169 million annually – equivalent to 1.14% of Australia’s national dental care expenditure – and benefit more than 8 million people.
Chewing sugar-free gum is a simple and inexpensive intervention that could complement existing oral health practices. If reinvested, these savings could fund:
•2.2 million additional patient check-ups
•727,000 million additional tooth extractions
•777,000 additional tooth fillings
Chewing sugar-free gum stimulates saliva production, which plays a key role in oral health by washing away food particles, neutralizing plaque acids, and helping to remineralize enamel. This simple habit, alongside regular brushing and dental check-ups, could contribute significantly to improved national oral health.
Commenting on the launch of the report, Dr. Michael Dodds, BDS, PhD, Extra Oral Healthcare Program Spokesperson, said:
Untreated tooth decay is a problem for many Australians, with decay rates as high as 40% in Western Australia. In addition, paying for dental treatment is a significant concern for many Australians, even those with private dental insurance. We know that regularly chewing sugar-free gum three times a day can reduce rates of decay, but the latest research also demonstrates how this could financially benefit Australians.
Numerous clinical studies have shown how chewing sugar-free gum can help prevent cavities through stimulating saliva that washes away sugars, neutralises plaque acids and helps repair early decay. This is of course good for your teeth and oral health, but this latest research shows that this also provides the added advantage of reducing treatment costs, benefiting both consumers and government health services.
Frontier Economics’ report is available at https://www.frontier-economics.com/uk/en/news-and-insights/news/news-article-i21265-improving-oral-health-through-prevention/.
The Frontier Economics network consists of separate businesses: Frontier Economics Limited (with headquarters in the UK); and Frontier Economics Pty Limited (with headquarters in Australia). This report was undertaken by Frontier Economics Limited.
Context:Evidence suggests that people in Australia chew approximately 77 pieces of sugar-free gum per year. See Rychlik et al. (2017).
•This is well below the threshold of two to three pieces per day, which has been shown to reduce the risk of caries. See Claxton et al. (2016) and Newton et al. (2020).
•The World Health Organization estimates that the prevalence of untreated caries in Australia is approximately 30%. See WHO (2022).
•National expenditure on dental care in Australia is approximately 14,824 million AUD. See WHO (2022).
•The proportion of dental treatment costs paid by patients in Australia is approximately 25-59% for dental check-ups and a range of common treatments such as fillings, extractions and root canal treatment. See report for further details and sources.
Methodology:
•Frontier modelled the potential impact on dental costs – for both health systems and for patients – of chewing SFG. We did this in four stages:
1.We gathered together the published evidence on SFG-use as a preventive intervention.
2.We identified the reduction in oral health problems (e.g. tooth decay) that is estimated to result from chewing SFG.
3.We estimated the dental treatments (e.g. tooth extractions) that could be avoided as a result.
4.We estimated the cost saving to the health system and the patients from avoided dental treatments for each country.
•Frontier analysed multiple scenarios, to test the sensitivity of the results to changes in the underlying assumptions. These scenarios are presented in the report.
•Frontier identified areas where this analysis could be improved upon in future research.
About the Extra Oral Healthcare Program:
•The Extra Oral Healthcare Program, part of Mars Wrigley, partners with dental professionals in Australia, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one additional simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugar-free gum after eating and drinking on-the-go.
•We support independent clinical research into preventive dentistry; funding for local dental associations and governments; continuous professional development programs; and the development of education materials for patients.
•The Extra Oral Healthcare Program is proud to work with dental professionals to promote the role of at-home oral health tools that play an important role in preventative oral healthcare. Measures like brushing twice a day and flossing are key, whilst tools like sugar-free gum can play a vital part in protecting people’s oral health when they’re on the go.
